TB AU - The Great Journey: Midnight
by Twilidramon
Summary: The Clans have lived in seasons of peace and harmony since the battle with BloodClan - but now, something is wrong in the forest. As the daughter of her Clan's greatest enemy, Mistyfoot struggles to find her place in ThunderClan. Can Mistyfoot overcome her personal struggles in order to safeguard the Clans and cats she loves? Rated T for safety. **COMPLETE**
1. Allegiances

**Welcome, everyone, to the tNP arc of the TB AU!**

**As stated before, I'll be going on with the AU for as long as my life allows, or until the end of Arc 3. I apologize if I can't finish it, but life happens sometimes and I have to account for that. FanFiction isn't my job, after all!**

**I won't say that you _have_ to read the previous entries in the series, because that's a _ton _of reading - but perhaps it would help to read at least Darkest Hour and Russetstar's Resolve, in order to have an understanding of what this AU is about. It's a little more than simply swapping characters now! Some events will play out the same but others will go different ways! **

**Anyway, I hope you all enjoy. This story updates every Friday, both here and on Tumblr (twilights-800-cats), with pauses for holidays or if some emergency comes up. This series is LGBT+ friendly, and any hate speech will be ignored/blocked.**

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**ALLEGIANCES:** _**(characters marked with a * are trans and are described with their preferred gender/pronouns)**_

* * *

**THUNDERCLAN**

Leader: Tinystar – very small black tom with ice-blue eyes and one white paw (Sandstorm's mate)

Deputy: Oakheart – red-brown tabby tom, amber eyes (father of Mistyfoot and Stoneheart)

Medicine Cat: Brackenfur – golden brown tabby tom _(Shadepaw)_

Warriors:

Mousefur – small dusky brown she-cat _(Spiderpaw)_

Graystripe – long-furred gray tom with a dark stripe of fur down his spine (Silverstream's mate)_ (Whitepaw)_

Dustpelt – dark brown tabby tom (Cinderpelt's mate) _(Nightpaw)_

Sandstorm – pale ginger she-cat with green eyes (mother of Shadepaw and Nightpaw) _(Sorrelpaw)_

Cinderpelt – smoky dark gray she-cat (mother of Spiderpaw and Shrewpaw)

Cloudtail – white she-cat with ginger tabby patches and a fluffy white tail (Swiftfoot and Brightheart's mate)

Brightheart – pretty white she-cat with ginger patches, missing an eye and ear (Swiftfoot and Cloudtail's mate, mother of Whitepaw)

Swiftfoot – stocky black-and-white tom, missing his tail (Cloudtail and Brightheart's mate)

Ashfur – pale gray tom with darker flecks, dark blue eyes

Snowstep – snowy white tom, very blue eyes; deaf (Ferncloud's mate)

Sootfur – light gray tabby tom, amber eyes

Rainwhisker – dark gray tom

Mistyfoot – long-furred dark blue-gray she-cat, blue eyes _(Shrewpaw)_

Apprentices:

Shadepaw – very dark tortoiseshell she-cat with white paws; medicine cat apprentice

Sorrelpaw – thick-furred tortoiseshell-and-white she-cat

Whitepaw – white she-cat with a ginger tabby rump and a ginger tail

Spiderpaw – leggy smoky gray she-cat *

Shrewpaw – pale tabby tom

Nightpaw – very small black tom with a thick, plumy tail and white paws

Queens:

Silverstream – sleek-furred silver tabby she-cat, formerly of RiverClan (mother of Feathertail and Stormfur)

Ferncloud – pale gray she-cat with darker flecks, green eyes (mother of Snowstep's kits – Birchkit, Hollykit, and Larchkit)

Elders:

Frostfur – beautiful white she-cat, blue eyes (mother of Brackenfur, Cinderpelt, and Swiftfoot)

Dappletail – once-pretty tortoiseshell she-cat, oldest cat in ThunderClan

Speckletail – pale tabby she-cat (mother of Snowstep and Brightheart)

Longtail – pale tabby tom with dark black stripes and a long tail, blind, recovering from an eye injury *

* * *

**RIVERCLAN**

Leader: Leopardstar – dappled golden tabby she-cat with a scarred muzzle (mother of Falcontail and Mothwing)

Deputy: Tawnypelt – tortoiseshell she-cat with broad shoulders, green eyes (mother of Goldenpaw, Reedpaw and Rosepaw)

Medicine Cat: Mudfur – long-haired light brown tom (father of Leopardstar) _(Mothwing)_

Warriors:

Ripplecloud – gray tabby tom with white paws

Brackenflight – golden brown tabby she-cat

Blackclaw – smoky black tom _(Mistlepaw)_

Heronleap – lean smoky gray-black tom *

Heavystep – thickset tabby tom _(Reedpaw)_

Leafwhisker – small brown tabby tom _(Rosepaw)_

Stormfur – dark gray tom with amber eyes

Feathertail – silvery tabby she-cat with blue eyes

Frostsplash – white tom, former loner

Falcontail – smoky tabby tom with yellow eyes

Apprentices:

Mothwing – lovely golden brown tabby she-cat with amber eyes; medicine cat apprentice

Goldenpaw – broad-shouldered golden tabby tom

Reedpaw – black tom

Rosepaw – ginger-patched white she-cat

Queens:

Mosspelt – tortoiseshell she-cat (mother of Willowkit)

Dawnflower – pale gray she-cat (mother of Frostsplash's kits – Minnowkit, Pebblekit, and Tumblekit)

Elders:

Shadepelt – very dark gray she-cat

Loudbelly – dark brown tom

* * *

**WINDCLAN**

Leader: Tallstar – aging black-and-white tom with a very long tail

Deputy: Mudclaw – mottled dark brown tabby tom _(Crowpaw)_

Medicine Cat: Barkface – short-tailed brown tom _(Ryepaw)_

Warriors:

Onewhisker – brown tabby tom

Webfoot – dark gray tabby tom *

Ashfoot – gray she-cat (mother of Crowpaw)

Tornear – tabby tom with a ripped ear

Poppyfoot – tortoiseshell she-cat _(Bristlepaw)_

Robinwing – light brown she-cat with blue eyes (mother of Ryepaw and Bristlepaw)

Smokewillow – lean pale gray-and-white tabby tom _(Thornpaw)_

Whitetail – small white she-cat

Graytail – long-legged gray tom with white paws and a white tail-tip

Emberstep – smoky black she-cat

Duskwhisker – sleek black she-cat

Apprentices:

Ryepaw – very small brown-and-white tabby tom with bright green eyes, medicine cat apprentice

Crowpaw – smoky gray, almost black, tom, blue eyes

Bristlepaw – thick-furred brown tabby tom

Thornpaw – golden-brown she-cat

Queens:

Bramblefur – pale brown tabby she-cat, amber eyes (mother of Bristlepaw and Thornpaw)

Softbreeze – very pale gray she-cat, former loner (mother of Weaselkit and Thistlekit)

Elders:

Morningflower – tortoiseshell she-cat

* * *

**SHADOWCLAN**

Leader: Russetstar – dark ginger she-cat with scarred shoulders (Pansytail's mate)

Deputy: Blackfoot – large, sturdy white tom with black face, paws, and tail

Medicine Cat: Littlecloud – very small brown tabby tom

Warriors:

Oakfur – small brown tom _(Smokepaw)_

Cedarheart – dark gray tom (Finchsong's mate)

Rowanclaw – ginger tabby tom * (Stoneheart's mate) _(Talonpaw)_

Tallpoppy – long-legged light brown tabby she-cat (mother of Talonpaw)

Nightwing – black she-cat

Orre – golden-brown tom

Stoneheart – thick-furred pale blue-gray tom, blue eyes (Rowanclaw's mate)

Pansytail – tortoiseshell-and-white she-cat, brilliant green eyes, former BloodClan cat (Russetstar's mate) _(Redpaw)_

Wolftooth – thick-furred gray tom, former BloodClan cat (father of Finchsong)

Pinewhisker – scarred dark brown tabby tom, former loner

Skipnose – black-and-white tom with a black tail, former kittypet

Apprentices:

Smokepaw – a dark gray tom

Talonpaw – dark brown tabby tom

Redpaw – ginger she-cat, former kittypet

Queens:

Finchsong – very pale gray she-cat, former BloodClan cat (mother of Cedarheart's kits – Willowkit and Rushkit)

Duskflower – black she-cat (mother of Smokepaw)

Elders:

Brick – very skinny, scarred dark ginger she-cat, former BloodClan cat *

Boulder – silver-gray tom

Runningnose – small gray-and-white tom, former medicine cat

* * *

**CATS (AND OTHER CREATURES) OUTSIDE THE CLANS:**

Midnight – stargazing badger that lives by the sea

Barley – black and white tom that lives on a farm close to the forest (Ravenpaw's mate)

Ravenpaw – sleek black cat who lives with Barley (Barley's mate)


	2. Prologue

**Prologue**

_Starlight reflected perfectly on the calm_ surface of a pool. Mist clung to the water's surface, the spray gentle against the broad shoulders of the massive dark brown tabby sitting at the pool's edge. Ferns dappled with stardust gently swayed in a breeze that smelled richly of prey and cosmos.

The big tabby raised his head, opening his jaws to scent the air. He was not alone in this serene place. His ear twitched as more shapes appeared in the distance – more cats padding silently through the grass, stars spilling out behind their paws.

He recognized them; four came from his own Clan. Redtail and his sister Spottedleaf, dappled twins. Yellowfang, short-muzzled and scruffy in even StarClan, and Mosspaw, her blotchy pelt glowing as she settled beside Spottedleaf around the pool.

Smelling of fish and clear water were the RiverClan cats – Swiftclaw, RiverClan's last deputy, broad-shouldered and black-and-white, sat down beside Crookedstar, whose twisted jaw cut off his words as they came close. Brambleclaw, the watching tabby's own spitting image, settled beside them.

The tabby tom looked over at the small, round-bodied cats approaching. ShadowClan. Nightstar, lean and skinny and colored like a slice of the night sky. Raggedstar sat beside Yellowfang, licking down his rumpled chest fur almost self-consciously. A young, skittish looking black tom, named Whitethroat for his white chest, needed some encouragement from Nightstar before he sat down.

WindClan was last, and had the fewest numbers. Deadfoot limped forward on his defected paw, and beside him was Gorsepaw, who greeted Mosspaw excitedly with a twitch of his whiskers, as if having another apprentice here made him more comfortable.

Silence descended as the tabby tom waited for any other stragglers. When it was clear no other cat was coming and some – Yellowfang and Deadfoot most chiefly – were getting impatient, he raised his muzzle and meowed strongly: "You know why I have called you here. There is a darkness rising in the forest."

Eyes turned to him, wide with shock or narrowed with suspicion and worry for their Clanmates down below.

"So soon, Tigerstar?" Redtail huffed. "Things have just begun to return to normal in the forest."

Tigerstar, the massive tabby tom, sighed. "I wish it were not so either, my friend," he meowed, "but I think we all can sense that there is something strange in the air. Something is wrong." Tigerstar cast his amber eyes across the pool and saw the look in the eyes of the gathered cats – it was clear that they knew.

"Yellowfang can elaborate," Tigerstar meowed, gesturing to the dark gray she-cat with his tail.

"The forest is stirring," the old she-cat rasped, her voice sharp and commanding. Her orange eyes flitted over every gathered cat. "I could feel something wrong – something that was shaking the world to its roots. I sought the Seeing Pool for answers."

Yellowfang gestured to the pool before them with a ragged paw. Mosspaw looked in, as if she could see what Yellowfang saw herself, but Spottedleaf pulled her away.

"What did you see?" the tortoiseshell asked, after Mosspaw was safely on all four paws.

Yellowfang raised her blunt muzzle. "I saw a great storm – one that travels on land and not air. A prophecy occurred to me as I stood before its might: _Thunder, Wind, River, and Shadow must join together, for the forest shakes to its roots."_

Tigerstar watched as fur began to bristle around the Seeing Pool. A murmur of worry rose from the gathered cats.

"I've had such visions too," Nightstar confessed. "An acrid smell in the air, choking out all the life in the marshes."

Crookedstar avoided the eyes of the cats around him. "The river dried, and my Clan starved," he rasped.

"The moors were… torn apart," Gorsepaw stammered, his tail bristling with barely-contained alarm. "There were _b-bodies_ in the mud!" Mosspaw touched her nose to his shoulder in comfort.

Tigerstar's whiskers twitched, feeling a pang of sorrow for the young cat. "I saw trees falling in the forest, sap running like blood," he meowed. He tried to keep the emotion from his voice but how could he? That forest had been his _home_, and to see it die…

"So what do we do?" Raggedstar wondered, his eyes blazing. "We have to stop this!"

Yellowfang, beside him, shook her head. "I don't think we can," she meowed.

Raggedstar's rumpled fur bristled. "Then we go to the one creature who _can_ help us!" he spat.

Brambleclaw's shoulders tensed. "How can we trust that one?" he hissed. "They are not of StarClan – or any Clan, for that matter!"

"What option do we have?" Raggedstar snapped back. "Do you want to watch the Clans die?"

Brambleclaw got to his paws, unsheathing his long, hooked claws, so much like Tigerstar's. "Don't talk to _me_ about caring for one's Clan!" he spat, his thick neck fur bristling. "You wouldn't know the first thing about-"

"Enough!" snapped Swiftclaw. The black-and-white tom sank his jaws into Brambleclaw's scruff and pulled the big tabby warrior back down on his haunches. It took a hiss from Yellowfang to get Raggedstar to sit back down. Swiftclaw looked out over the pool. "Now is the time for figuring out what to do, not for fighting." Brambleclaw sheathed his claws, looking down at the ground.

Tigerstar felt a flash of pity for his half-Clan son. Brambleclaw's relationship with any ShadowClan cat was bound to be tense, considering that a ShadowClan cat had murdered him.

"If you're all done," muttered Spottedleaf, her eyes darting between Brambleclaw and Raggedstar. "I agree with Raggedstar – we must send cats to that one. Our power here is limited; but that creature can help them in ways we won't be able to."

It took a moment before the gathered cats voiced their agreement. Too many were reluctant, in Tigerstar's eyes. _I don't see them coming up with other options,_ he thought with a flash of annoyance. _We can only do the best we can._

"We must choose," he meowed, raising his voice over the ripple of water and murmur of cats. "Each Clan need only pick one cat to go. We will send them an omen to get them on their way, and guide them from here."

"Will that be enough?" asked Mosspaw. Her blue eyes were round. "It's surely going to be a dangerous journey."

"They will have to take care of one another," Redtail pointed out to her. His bushy, fox-red tail flicked. "This is no time to hold on to rivalry."

Tigerstar nodded to the RiverClan cats. After a moment of discussion between the three of them, Brambleclaw was the one to step forward and touched his nose to the Seeing Pool. The water rippled out, forming into a reflection of a pale silver cat.

"RiverClan makes their choice," he meowed.

"You've chosen well," surmised Spottedleaf. "She's very loyal."

"But also half-Clan," Deadfoot pointed out. "Is that wise?"

"I think that, in a situation like this, half-Clan blood is a boon, not a burden," Crookedstar rasped.

Deadfoot only grunted as the pool stilled and the silvery image disappeared. Now it was ShadowClan's turn. Tigerstar watched as Nightstar, Raggedstar, and Whitethroat discussed among themselves. Whitethroat's suggestion must have come as a surprise – both Raggedstar and Nightstar looked stunned – but it must have been an easy choice.

Nightstar touched his nose to the pool. "ShadowClan makes their choice," he announced as the ripples passed across the surface. A stocky shape appeared, gray with intense eyes.

"That one?" muttered Swiftclaw. "Are you sure? Half-Clan is one thing, but he was not born in ShadowClan."

Raggedstar lashed his tail. "And? He is no less ShadowClan than any other!"

Swiftclaw only shrugged.

The water stilled. Tigerstar saw that the WindClan cats had little to discuss. Deadfoot must have known who he was going to pick from the moment the option was suggested – he dipped his intact paw into the water after giving Gorsepaw only a nod. "WindClan makes their choice," he rumbled as the water rippled and a dark, smoky shape appeared.

This one caused a stir, and even Tigerstar found himself questioning it. _That one?_

"He's just an apprentice!" Redtail insisted, his shoulders bristling with alarm. "This isn't a joke, Deadfoot – lives are at stake!"

Deadfoot narrowed his eyes and hissed, baring his teeth. "My _son_ can do what is necessary to save WindClan!" he spat.

"This is not just for WindClan," Tigerstar meowed. "If any of these cats fail, all of the Clans will be affected. Are you _sure_ he is the right choice, Deadfoot?"

Deadfoot's spine bristled. Even Gorsepaw seemed offended, his claws flexing in the starry grass. "I have made my choice," Deadfoot growled. "I will _not_ change my mind."

"Then I hope you haven't put us in jeopardy," Tigerstar murmured.

"It's _your _turn," huffed Deadfoot.

Tigerstar frowned down at the pool. He considered the other choices made and the cats that walked ThunderClan's forests now. Which one would complement them all best? Who would have the most to gain from such a journey? There were cats in all the Clans with a storied destiny ahead of their paws…

Tigerstar looked up, his eyes resting on the ThunderClan cats gathered. He knew they would understand. "ThunderClan has made their choice," he announced.

The water rippled when Tigerstar touched his tail-tip to its surface. Tigerstar watched the ripples with confidence, seeing the dark blueish shape form before him. Several cats bristled. It took them a moment to recognize who it really was in the pool.

"That one!" snapped Deadfoot. "And you chastised _my_ choice? _That_ one is a bad omen walking!"

Mosspaw bristled, her eyes burning. "Don't you dare!" she spat. "Tigerstar made the right choice!"

"Did he?" murmured Brambleclaw, whose claws gripped the grasses at the edge of the pool.

Nightstar bristled. "I don't see you all yowling over ShadowClan's choice. Are you truly only judging ThunderClan's chosen cat by her appearance alone?"

Tigerstar squared his shoulders. "I stand by my choice," he declared firmly. "I will not choose another."

"Will you all stop behaving like kits?" Yellowfang huffed. The old she-cat got to her paws. "There is no time to lose – the storm is coming. The chosen ones are the chosen ones. There is no going back. They will either work together or they will all perish."

"I think they will do fine," Spottedleaf murmured, looking down at the pool. "With the right paws to guide them…"

Tigerstar raised his voice: "Yellowfang and Spottedleaf are right. The chosen ones have been selected. We must deliver the prophecy unto them. A great burden lies on their shoulders… you all know that not just the forest is at stake here, but us, too."

He saw Deadfoot's eyes flash. Was he regretting his choice now?

Tigerstar lashed his tail. There was no time for regret. "Go – speak to your chosen. There is much to be done."


	3. Chapter 1

**Kits of certain cats are listed after their mother, or father if the mother is absent. I agree that it can be confusing, especially since Bright/Swift/Cloud are all Whitepaw's parents, but Brightheart is the one who gave birth so Whitepaw is listed with her.**

* * *

**Chapter 1**

_Mistyfoot narrowed her eyes against the_ glare of the sun as it struck a puddle leftover from last night's bare sprinkle. The forest smelled fresh and full of new growth as she prowled through the undergrowth, her belly fur barely dragging the leaf litter. She made sure to keep her plumy tail off the ground – one of her first lessons as Tinystar's apprentice was that her tail would give her away if she didn't pay attention to it.

The forest was quiet but all around Mistyfoot's sensitive ears could pick up the sounds of prey scrabbling and fluttering in the trees. She narrowed her keen eyes, looking for the slightest rustle that would –

There!

A squirrel poked its head out from underneath a nearby juniper bush. Mistyfoot stopped in her tracks, whiskers twitching. There were plenty of nuts in this part of the forest, and the squirrel inched its way out to shuffle in the litter. Mistyfoot watched it pick up a nut and stuff it into its cheeks.

_Patience…_

The squirrel turned its back.

Mistyfoot bunched her haunches and sprang.

The squirrel squeaked in alarm, startled as Mistyfoot's forepaws landed just a whiskerlength too short. Cursing, Mistyfoot lashed her tail as she watched the squirrel flee. _How could I have missed?_

The annoyance did not last long. Greenleaf was a breath of warm wind away – ThunderClan was strong. Missing one squirrel in a forest teeming with prey wasn't the difference between a full belly and starvation.

"Oof," grunted Mousefur. The dusky-brown she-cat pushed through the clump of ferns where she'd been hiding, her pale eyes narrowed. "Bad luck."

Mistyfoot shrugged. "It faked me out, I think."

Mousefur flicked her tail. "Come on, no time to mope – Tinystar needs to see us."

Mistyfoot's ears pricked. "What for?"

"Don't know," Mousefur admitted, shrugging. "Dustpelt's patrol passed by on their way back to camp while you were stalking that squirrel and let me know. Best not keep Tinystar waiting – you know how his temper is."

Mistyfoot swallowed. ThunderClan's leader was small in stature, but his temper was known by every cat in the forest. She was sure queens told horror stories of it to their kits. It was not worth tempting fate – without another word Mistyfoot put a spring in her step and led the way through the forest.

* * *

Sunhigh had passed when Mistyfoot and Mousefur skidded down the ravine. Mistyfoot followed the smaller senior warrior along the well-worn trail, ThunderClan scent laid over it a hundred thousand times over countless generations. They walked along the thorns and gorse until they reached a small opening, only one cat wide. Mistyfoot entered, feeling the walls of the gorse tunnel drag along her pelt and her ears before emerging gratefully into the sunlit ThunderClan camp.

At this time of day, Mistyfoot saw more than a few warriors lying in the sunshine, grooming one another and sharing tongues outside of their dens. She spotted Frostfur and Dappletail, two elders, cleaning one another's ears in the shade of the Highrock, a great stone that loomed near the back of the clearing. Whitepaw was bringing them prey, and Mistyfoot saw Frostfur invite the apprentice to eat with them. Mistyfoot took a deep breath of the clean, familiar air, scented with all of the cats she had ever known, and felt at ease.

_It's been so long since the battle with BloodClan,_ she thought. Mousefur began to lead the way to the Highrock – Tinystar's den was in a hollowed out cave in the stone, just out of sight and shaded with lichen. Mistyfoot followed, her pawsteps intentionally slow, worrying over what Tinystar could possibly want with her.

The forest had changed since Tinystar had arrived in it – it was hard not to be somewhat afraid of the ThunderClan leader because of that. The former kittypet had saved ThunderClan from within – not only that, he had aided every other Clan in the forest, too. At the battle with BloodClan nearly six seasons ago, Tinystar had saved the whole forest when he united the Clans and killed his half-brother Scorch, BloodClan's leader. Without him, the forest would be a much darker place.

Mistyfoot swallowed. _Without him… my mother would be leader of ThunderClan…_ She did not want to think of such a thing.

She focused instead on how organized Clan life seemed. _Oakheart is doing a great job as deputy,_ she thought, thinking fondly of her father as she looked around. Patrols were regular and efficient, and Oakheart was a popular cat around the Clan. Even if he never ended up a leader, Oakheart was doing a great job as deputy now.

A flash of fur in the ferns caught Mistyfoot's eye. Shadepaw, one of Tinystar's kits, emerged from the medicine cat's den, a leaf-wrap in her jaws. She was lean and slim, built far more like her mother Sandstorm than her father, and her white-tipped tail was flicking in thought as she headed for the elder's den.

Nightpaw met her there, coming out of the old hollow log and shaking a bit of old moss from his pelt. The littermates touched noses. Mistyfoot wondered how two cats could be so different, both physically and in personality – Nightpaw was almost a copy of his father, short in stature and almost entirely black but for his white-tipped tail and white paw. Even his eyes were a similar shade of icy blue.

The two had been apprenticed just a quarter moon ago – Shadepaw to Brackenfur, set to become the Clan's next medicine cat, and Nightpaw to Dustpelt, who Mistyfoot thought was a fitting cat to work out some of Nightpaw's more energetic aspects. Shadepaw was doing well as medicine cat apprentice, but many cats had known since her kithood that she had been the one to inherit their father's legendary temper.

Mistyfoot couldn't help but feel a pang of sorrow. Her sister Mosspaw had been the medicine cat apprentice before Shadepaw – but she had died in the battle with BloodClan.

"Are you going to sit and stare all day?" Mousefur grunted. The dusky she-cat was standing before the lichen that screened Tinystar's den, her tail-tip flicking. "Tinystar's waiting."

Mistyfoot started. "Sorry!" she mewed, trying to keep her fur low. How embarrassing!

"You'd think you've never been in camp before!" Mousefur huffed. "Youngsters…"

Mistyfoot flicked an ear. Mousefur was never quiet about her criticisms. Shaking her head free of reminiscence, Mistyfoot passed Mousefur and ducked into the ThunderClan leader's den.

It was cool inside the Highrock, a welcome escape from the mounting heat of the day. Tinystar was sitting inside, his paws tucked beneath him. Mistyfoot sat down a pace away and dipped her head to her former mentor. Mousefur twitched her whiskers and remained standing.

Tinystar measured the two she-cats with eyes like claws made of ice. Mistyfoot felt that frosty gaze rest on her and she met it with her own, pleased to see that the coldness was only in the color of Tinystar's eye and not his voice.

"As I'm sure you're both aware, Cinderpelt and Dustpelt's kits are turning six moons today," he meowed. "I wish for you both to be their mentors."

Mistyfoot's head shot up, her eyes widening. Her heart beat in her ears. _Me, a mentor? Already? _"B-But I'm so inexperienced!" she blurted. _Mouse-brain!_

Tinystar purred in amusement. Mousefur twitched her whiskers. Mistyfoot swallowed, feeling embarrassed once again.

"Yes, you are inexperienced," Tinystar agreed, "but Mousefur is not – you've been a warrior a few seasons and, thinking of the kits themselves, I think you'd both be great mentors for them. Mousefur can help you out when you feel you're struggling, Mistyfoot."

"It's an honor," Mousefur meowed. It had been a long time since she'd had an apprentice – she'd lost her first, Thornpaw, many seasons ago to Bluestar's cruelty, along with her brother, Runningwind.

"I'm eager to see you with your own apprentice," Tinystar went on, smiling at Mistyfoot. "I think you'll do a great job. After all, what would it say about me if you didn't?"

Mistyfoot's ear twitched, her pelt warming at his praise. It wasn't so long ago that Tinystar had had difficulty even looking at her, after all. _How far we've come since!_ "It would be a great honor, Tinystar," she meowed.

Tinystar flicked his tail. "Then we'll have the ceremony immediately – come on."

The small tom got to his paws and trotted out of the den. Mousefur and Mistyfoot followed, padding out into the clearing while Tinystar leaped onto the Highrock and delivered his summons:

"Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey join beneath the Highrock for a Clan meeting!"

His voice roused sleepy warriors from the shadows. Ears pricked and tails flicked as cats from all over the camp got to their paws and met below the Highrock. Mistyfoot was jostled, but her paws were buzzing from excitement. She forced herself to the front to stand beside Mousefur, hoping that was the right thing to do.

"Must be time for some new apprentices!" purred Graystripe. The gray warrior stretched each leg in turn.

Beside him his mate, Silverstream, nodded in agreement. "We've been at our wits' end trying to corral Spiderkit and Shrewkit these past few days!" The silvery queen curled her striped tail around her paws, leaning in to Graystripe's fluff. Silverstream had once been RiverClan, Mistyfoot reflected, but her love for Graystripe had brought her to ThunderClan, even if their kits were still across the river themselves.

Mistyfoot could hear Cinderpelt cursing behind the crowd. She couldn't help but look over her shoulder at the gray she-cat as she quickly and furiously groomed her children's fur straight. Spiderkit stretched away, using her long legs to her advantage, but poor Shrewkit had no such luck.

"I wonder who their mentors are?" wondered Sootfur, a newer warrior.

"Not me," Rainwhisker, his brother, promised. "I would've told you and Sorrelpaw for sure."

"Not me, either," Sootfur agreed.

Tinystar's voice silenced further speculation: "We've gathered here today for a very important task in any Clan," he meowed. "Spiderkit and Shrewkit have reached their sixth moon, and it is time for them to receive their apprentice names."

The entire Clan quieted, watching in reverent silence. Mistyfoot could hardly keep her paws from fidgeting with excitement, and wondered if the rest of the Clan could hear her heart beating in her ears.

"Spiderkit, come forward," Tinystar called.

The crowd parted to let the kits through. Spiderkit was smoky gray like her mother, with long, long legs and her father's sharp amber eyes. She padded through the crowd, her tail quivering with excitement, and stood beneath the Highrock.

_Will I receive Spiderkit?_ Mistyfoot wondered.

"Until you earn your warrior name, you shall be known as Spiderpaw," Tinystar announced. "Mousefur – you will be Spiderpaw's mentor. Teach her well the ways of the warrior."

"I shall," Mousefur promised.

_That answers that,_ Mistyfoot thought, watching Mousefur touched her nose to Spiderpaw's. The leggy gray she-cat was already vibrating with excitement from ears to tail as she followed Mousefur back. She fidgeted even when Mousefur hissed for her to keep still.

"Shrewkit, come forward," Tinystar went on.

Mistyfoot swallowed. _My turn,_ she thought. Eagerness gave way to nervousness. What if Shrewkit rejected her? She watched the young tabby tom pad through the crowd. He had excitement glittering in his eyes – blue, like his mother's – and his thin tail twitched when he stood looking up at Tinystar.

"From this day forward, until you earn your warrior name, you shall be known as Shrewpaw," Tinystar announced. "Mistyfoot."

There were a few mews of surprise. Mistyfoot swallowed a lump in her throat, forcing herself to focus on Tinystar and not her Clanmate's worry. _They think I'm too young!_ She thought, her head buzzing.

"You are a young warrior, this is true," Tinystar meowed on, "but I think you will be a great mentor for Shrewpaw."

Mistyfoot swallowed. She got to her paws and padded up to Shrewpaw's side. "I'll teach him everything I know," she promised, proud that her voice did not shake. "I'm honored to have this opportunity."

She and Shrewpaw touched noses. Mistyfoot marveled at how eager he seemed – just as eager as Spiderpaw, but more well contained. _I don't think I could handle Spiderpaw's energy,_ Mistyfoot thought as she led Shrewpaw back to the crowd. _Tinystar made the right call._

"Shrewpaw! Spiderpaw!" the Clan called – no voice was louder though than Cinderpelt or Dustpelt's. The two had their tails twined and their chests puffed, proud and unabashedly pleased with their kits. It was a strange look on Dustpelt, who was often so prickly, and Mistyfoot had to keep down a purr of amusement.

Soon enough the cheering died down. Tinystar leaped down from the Highrock and met with Graystripe and Silverstream. The Clan broke up, some heading back to their sunning spots and others heading out together on patrols. Mistyfoot watched Shrewpaw and Spiderpaw rub their muzzles against their parents with a sense of happiness blooming in her chest.

"So _you_ receive an apprentice over me?"

The happiness in Mistyfoot's chest withered. Ashfur's eyes were narrowed bitterly at Mistyfoot, his shoulders hunched.

Mistyfoot swallowed. She and Ashfur had never gotten along, not even when they were apprentices together. Mistyfoot got on well with Ferncloud, Ashfur's sister, but nothing could ever endear her to Ashfur, it seemed. Mistyfoot's mother, Bluestar, had been responsible for Ashfur and Ferncloud's mother's death – and Ashfur did not seem to intend to let that go.

"It was Tinystar's choice," Mistyfoot defended.

"And of course he'd choose _you_," Ashfur hissed. "An apprentice for his apprentice, after all. Nevermind that I'm an older and more experienced warrior!"

Mistyfoot's hackles rose. How dare Ashfur think Tinystar favored her! Did he have any idea what it was like to be the kit of Bluestar and apprentice to her sworn enemy?

"Maybe Father chose her over you because you seem to have a habit of sitting on beehives," growled Nightpaw. Mistyfoot hadn't even noticed that the little black tom had lingered, let alone that he had been listening in. "Not to mention questioning his choices!"

Ashfur bristled. He ignored Nightpaw, though, and sneered to Mistyfoot, "So you need an _apprentice_ to defend you?"

Mistyfoot wanted to growl. _Why did you open your mouth, Nightpaw? You just made this worse!_

Ashfur lashed his tail. Mistyfoot opened her mouth to tell him to go away when Shrewpaw bounded between them, his eyes bright and excited.

"Mousefur said we can go into the forest together!" he meowed. "Come on, Mistyfoot!"

Mistyfoot spotted Mousefur and Spiderpaw waiting by the gorse tunnel. She sent a silent thanks to StarClan that Mousefur had made Shrewpaw intervene – Ashfur was padding away now, his tail flicking to and fro.

"I'll meet you all in a moment," Mistyfoot promised Shrewpaw. "Go on."

Shrewpaw nodded and trotted back to Mousefur and Spiderpaw to deliver the news. Mistyfoot rounded on Nightpaw, her tail-tip flicking. She couldn't yell at the apprentice – not only was he Tinystar's son, he had only been doing what he thought was right – but he still shouldn't have interfered.

"Stay out of it," Mistyfoot told him.

"The way he treats you and others isn't fair," Nightpaw muttered. "He's such a grouch to _everyone_."

Mistyfoot sighed. "Didn't your mentor ever teach you not to poke a badger's nest? Leave Ashfur alone and he'll leave you alone." _I'm the only one that rule doesn't work for._

"Mistyfoot!" Shrewpaw called across the clearing. "Mousefur says she'll leave without you!"

"I have to go," Mistyfoot sighed.

Nightpaw shrugged. "Go on; have fun," he said.

Mistyfoot raised her tail and bounded over to Mousefur and the apprentices. "Sorry about that," she mewed to them briskly. "Let's go."

* * *

Dusk cast Sunningrocks in a deep orange hue as Mousefur and Mistyfoot padded between the large, flat gray stones. Shrewpaw and Spiderpaw followed a pace behind, their paws clearly tired but their eyes still bright.

"We didn't get to see everything," Spiderpaw lamented.

"Patience," Mousefur told her. "You've got a whole life ahead of you to see every pawstep of this territory. Now – do either of you know where we are?"

"Sunningrocks, duh," Spiderpaw answered back. Beside her, Shrewpaw yawned.

"Yes," Mistyfoot agreed, "this is Sunningrocks."

"RiverClan's over there, then?" Shrewpaw guessed, looking out at the slow-moving river. It trickled by just down the slope, and its coolness was tempting in the heat. The fresh, fishy smell of RiverClan kept Mistyfoot from splashing her paws.

Mousefur nodded at Shrewpaw. "It smells like a patrol just went by, too," she stated. "Now – how much do you know about RiverClan?"

Spiderpaw yawned this time. "Leopardstar is their leader… Tawnypelt is their deputy," she recited, sitting on her haunches. "They eat lots of fish."

"Fish are gross," Shrewpaw admitted, screwing up his nose. "Silverstream had us try some once."

Mistyfoot shrugged. "It's not for every cat," she meowed. Personally she found the flavor appealing on occasion.

"RiverClan and ThunderClan have a long, storied history on these stones," Mousefur meowed, flicking her tail to the smooth gray boulders. "Legends say that these rocks were once on RiverClan's territory, but the river changed course and now they're on our land."

"And they keep fighting us for it!" Shrewpaw meowed. "Frostfur and Speckletail told me lots of stories about Sunningrocks battles."

Mousefur nodded. "RiverClan's been quiet about their claim to the rocks lately; but that doesn't mean ThunderClan isn't vigilant! Sunningrocks belongs to us now."

Spiderpaw's eyes grew round. "Do you think RiverClan might attack us for being here? You said a patrol just passed!"

Mistyfoot shook her head. "I doubt it," she meowed. "Things between the Clans have been okay for a while, like we said at Fourtrees. It's been peaceful."

"Father says peace never lasts," Shrewpaw mewed.

Mistyfoot frowned at her apprentice. Of course Dustpelt would say dour things like that. Why was ThunderClan so full of grumpy cats? She sighed, "Well… no; but we might as well enjoy it while it's here, right?"

"We'll teach you plenty of ways to defend yourselves for when battle comes," Mousefur promised. "Now, we should be heading back."

Both apprentices looked energized at the thought of battle with RiverClan. They sprang to their paws, eyes alight.

"I'll be the best fighter!" Spiderpaw declared.

"You're a better runner than a fighter!" Shrewpaw teased. _"I'll_ be the best fighter! Tinystar is the best warrior in ThunderClan, and Mistyfoot was his apprentice! That means I'll be unstoppable!"

Spiderpaw stuck out her tongue. "Does not," she groaned.

"Does to!"

Mistyfoot purred, warmed by her apprentice's eagerness. She watched him take a playful swipe at Spiderpaw, already calculating how to help him deliver such a blow with a weight that would send an enemy warrior yowling home.

_I'm proud to have you as my apprentice, Shrewpaw,_ Mistyfoot thought fondly. _And I'm going to do everything I can to prove I'm a worthy mentor._


	4. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

"_Good form, Spiderpaw," Mousefur mewed. "Now_ keep it up!"

Mistyfoot shifted on her paws. Greenleaf sunlight was burning her shoulders but to complain about it to Mousefur felt like it would end in a lecture about how young cats can't handle things these days. She focused instead on watching Spiderpaw stalk.

_She's good,_ Mistyfoot thought, but noted that Spiderpaw was struggling to keep still even when catching pretend prey. When Spiderpaw leaped onto the leaf it was too soon and she fell short, even with her longer legs.

Mousefur shook her head, sighing. "How you were born with legs like that, I don't know," the older she-cat groaned.

Mistyfoot looked to her own apprentice. Shrewpaw was doing all right, but his crouch was unbalanced. "Don't move until you're confident to do so," she instructed him, feeling proud as Shrewpaw took a moment to adjust his stance. "Much better!"

"There's so much to pay attention to!" complained Spiderpaw. Her forepaw tapped against the sandy earth. "I can't do it, Mousefur!"

Mousefur's ear flicked with mild irritation. "Yes, you can," she said sternly. "It takes time, but you'll learn to filter out what you don't need to hear."

"But what if we can't?" Shrewpaw wondered, still struggling to keep his weight balanced. Mistyfoot used her muzzle to gently coax his haunches down lower. She could feel his body having a hard time with the position.

"Like anything, hunting takes practice," Mistyfoot urged. "You kits couldn't balance on all four paws in a day – you're not going to pick up hunting in one, either."

Mistyfoot glanced at Mousefur, wondering if that was the right thing to say. The dusky she-cat nodded encouragingly, and Mistyfoot bit back a sigh of relief. _So far, so good._

"Keep practicing," Mousefur meowed on. She gestured with a paw to a stick lying in the middle of the clearing. "There's your prey. Keep at it until we ask you to stop."

Spiderpaw and Shrewpaw nodded. The two apprentices took up positions tail-lengths away from the stick, both looking very determined.

"So… are you glad to have another apprentice?" Mistyfoot asked. She tried not to betray the nervousness she felt talking to Mousefur, a warrior very senior to her in the Clan. It could backfire quite easily.

"Spiderpaw – keep that tail off the ground!" hissed Mousefur. Spiderpaw let out a squeak and raised her tail. "And yes, I am, Mistyfoot. I missed this, as frustrating as it can be. How do you feel about your first apprentice?"

Mistyfoot peered at Shrewpaw, who seemed to be balancing his body well. She didn't see a need to correct him yet. "I don't know if I'm doing a good job," she admitted. "I knew I'd have to train an apprentice sometime – all deputies must – but I didn't think it'd be so soon."

Shrewpaw leaped, but fell short. He didn't look frustrated, though.

Mousefur turned a skeptical eye on Mistyfoot, and Mistyfoot regretted slipping in her goal of becoming deputy. Did she seem too ambitious? That was a dangerous thing to seem, when one was Bluestar's daughter.

But the brown she-cat only shrugged. "There's a lot of time to shoot for deputy; no need to rush," she pointed out. "Tinystar has a lot of faith in you, Mistyfoot – he'd never give you an apprentice if he didn't, especially with other older warriors around who haven't had one yet."

Mistyfoot swallowed. "You're… nicer than I thought you'd be," she mumbled.

Mousefur shrugged again. "I'm nice to who I want to be nice to," she grunted.

"Well I'm glad you're being nice to me," Mistyfoot admitted.

Mousefur rolled her eyes. "Keep talking like that and it won't last long!"

Mistyfoot jumped, but she saw the humor sparkling in Mousefur's eye. _Maybe she's really not as cranky as every other cat thinks she is after all,_ Mistyfoot thought. _After all, a cat can't live in a Clan without having any friends. Even Ashfur gets along with some others._

Just as Spiderpaw fumbled a leap, the ferns rustled. Mistyfoot turned her head to spot Dustpelt padding into the clearing, Nightpaw by his side. The dark tabby warrior looked at his kits with fondness for a moment before addressing Mousefur and Mistyfoot: "May we join you?"

Mousefur glanced at Mistyfoot. Too late Mistyfoot realized that Mousefur was wondering her opinion – she nodded too hastily her approval and felt her ears burn as Dustpelt's gaze bored into her for taking too long.

"They were working on stalking," Mousefur carried on, flicking her tail against Mistyfoot's flank. _Calm down, kit,_ the gesture seemed to say. "But maybe Nightpaw can help them learn a basic battle move?"

Dustpelt twitched his whiskers. "That sounds fine," he agreed.

When they looked again at Mistyfoot for her approval, she made sure to nod more quickly.

Both Shrewpaw and Spiderpaw's eyes lit up. "What move? What move?" Spiderpaw asked, bouncing on her toes.

"I want to learn how to claw a ShadowClan cat's belly!" Shrewpaw piped up.

"Or swimming?" Spiderpaw wondered. "Will we learn swimming?"

"Swimming is for RiverClan," Nightpaw pointed out.

"But that would be useful!" Spiderpaw mewed. "Wouldn't it?"

"Maybe an evasive maneuver?" Mistyfoot suggested. She looked at both Dustpelt and Mousefur. "Spiderpaw and Shrewpaw are still young, there's no reason for them to fight in a real battle yet, should one come."

Mousefur and Dustpelt both nodded in agreement. Mistyfoot felt a flash of triumph.

"Nightpaw," Dustpelt instructed, "show them the tuck and roll."

Nightpaw nodded. "Watch me, you two," he mewed.

The small black tom trotted out into the clearing, his belly already dusted with sand. _Will he ever grow into that small body_? Mistyfoot wondered. Nightpaw smoothly fell onto his shoulder, rolled over, and sprang back up onto his paws.

"Like that," Nightpaw said, his icy eyes sparkling.

"Wow," Shrewpaw mewed, eyes wide. "That had to be hard to learn! How do you keep your tail from tangling up?"

Nightpaw kinked his tail to demonstrate. "Like that," he mewed. "Keep it curved just a little, that way no other cat steps on it. My tail is almost as long as I am so I need to make sure it stays out of harm's way."

Spiderpaw immediately tried the move. She tucked and rolled, but tangled her paws on the spring back up and fell onto her side in the sand. Mousefur sighed as the dust settled.

"It's not a battle right now," Mousefur advised. "Take it slow."

Mistyfoot nodded to Shrewpaw. His turn to try. Heart beating in her ears, Mistyfoot watched Shrewpaw crouch, fall onto his shoulder, roll over… and stumble like Spiderpaw when he tried to spring back onto his paws. Shrewpaw slithered onto his belly in the sand ungracefully.

"Oof," he complained. "That's harder than it looks."

"You've both got the roll down," Mistyfoot praised, lifting her tail. "But the springing up is the hard bit – it needs to be fast so that no warrior catches you when you're exposed, but careful enough that you don't tangle your own paws."

Shrewpaw's eyes blazed with determination. Spiderpaw was already trying again – and failing – when Shrewpaw got to his paws and positioned himself for another go. This time, Mistyfoot placed herself beside him.

"See how I'm standing?" she asked. "Look at my muscles. Look at which ones are tense. Try and copy."

Shrewpaw nodded and hunkered himself.

"Hey, Shrewpaw!" Nightpaw mewed. "Try this instead!"

Mistyfoot watched with frustration as Nightpaw chattered on, prodding Shrewpaw with his paws: "Put all your weight on the side you're falling on. Try to make the fall look natural, too, so that your enemy thinks you're too hurt! Yeah, like that! And tuck your tail a little – perfect! Now try!"

Shrewpaw rolled just fine, though he wobbled a little on his paws when he sprang back up. Mistyfoot opened her jaws to offer advice, but Nightpaw meowed, "Good job! You'll stick the landing with practice!" before she could.

Mistyfoot's tail flicked. To no cat in particular, she muttered, "Who's the mentor here?"

Mousefur purred with amusement. "He's a lot like his father, that one."

Mistyfoot's ear flicked with embarrassment. _Me, complaining about an apprentice? Augh._

Mousefur nudged her. "Don't worry about it – Nightpaw is just a chatterbox know-it-all, like most young cats these days. He's helping you out because he admires you."

"He's sticking his nose into other cats' business," Mistyfoot muttered.

Mousefur shrugged. "Just like his father," she repeated.

A scent crossed the clearing. Mistyfoot's ears pricked. _More cats?_ She thought. _This hollow is getting full already._

Sandstorm and Sorrelpaw appeared from the forest, tails up in greeting. They did not lope into the hollow, however, and Sorrelpaw looked too energized to be coming for training.

"Any cat want to join us on patrol?" Sandstorm asked.

"It's my last one!" Sorrelpaw cheered. "I'm going to be a warrior tonight!"

"That's great news," praised Dustpelt.

"Finally!" Nightpaw purred. He turned to Dustpelt. "Can we go?"

Mistyfoot smiled. Sorrelpaw had fallen from a tree during training a moon and a half ago and hurt her shoulder, delaying her warrior ceremony. She'd had to watch Rainwhisker and Sootfur, her littermates, become warriors from the medicine den.

"You can go, Nightpaw," Dustpelt mewed.

Nightpaw beamed, scrabbling up the hollow to join Sorrelpaw and his mother, who greeted him with a lick between the ears.

"What about you, Mistyfoot?" Sorrelpaw wondered, her eyes wide. "Want to come?"

Mistyfoot opened her jaws to say yes, but she recalled her mentor duties. She looked back to Mousefur, who shrugged.

"Go on," the she-cat said. "Dustpelt and I can handle Shrewpaw and Spiderpaw."

"Thanks," Mistyfoot purred.

"Let's go then," Sandstorm agreed. "Time's wasting."

* * *

Heat clung between Mistyfoot's shoulders as she followed Sandstorm through the forest. She found herself spending more time tuning out the harsh buzz of cicadas than really paying much attention to the apprentices chatting behind her. Sandstorm was the one to turn her narrow muzzle and snap, "Quiet! This is still a patrol, you two!"

"Sorry, Mother," mumbled Nightpaw.

"Sorry," echoed Sorrelpaw.

Their conversation still continued, just in more hushed tones: "What do you think being a warrior will be like, Sorrelpaw?" Nightpaw asked. Sandstorm rolled her eyes and muttered something about how apprentices never listen.

Mistyfoot trained an ear back to them. Sorrelpaw's steps were sure and confident. "I think it'll be really exciting!" she mewed. "Finally I can be my own boss!"

"But you still have to listen to Oakheart, or other older warriors," Nightpaw went on, sounding confused. "How is that any different than being an apprentice again?"

Sorrelpaw made a befuddled noise. "I guess… it kinda isn't? But I'll have more respect… and I'll be able to go hunting whenever I want!"

"Huh," Nightpaw mused.

Sandstorm's tail flicked Mistyfoot's shoulder, getting her attention. The pale ginger she-cat had her bright green eyes on Mistyfoot, and the scrutiny was unexpected. Mistyfoot fought not to jump. Sandstorm was often just as scary – if not scarier – than her mate, Tinystar.

"How are things with Shrewpaw?" Sandstorm asked amicably.

Mistyfoot blinked, grateful that she wasn't about to be raked over the shoulders by the sharp tongue of the older warrior. Swallowing, Mistyfoot responded, "I'm nervous. I want to do well by him, you know?"

Sandstorm sighed. "You think way too hard about things, Mistyfoot," she stated. "You'll do just fine. Tinystar wants to see you succeed."

Mistyfoot's tail flicked. "Does he?" she wondered. "I-I mean… he knows I want to be deputy one day. Does he _want_ me to be his deputy?"

Sandstorm's eye sparkled. "I can't say what goes through that head of his, really – but are you after your father's position so badly?"

Her mew was good-natured, but Mistyfoot felt a spike of worry. "N-No!" she insisted, keeping her voice low so that the apprentices didn't catch on. "I don't want anything bad to happen to Father; but being deputy was what I've wanted since I was a kit, and… and Tinystar was deputy. He did so many amazing things…"

Mistyfoot swallowed a lump of emotion, thinking back to those times. Tinystar had been such a young, inexperienced deputy when she had been just a kitten – but he'd brought ThunderClan out of the worst times they'd seen in seasons. Bluestar, the fire, stopping a war with WindClan, the dogs…

"… I just don't want to screw things up," Mistyfoot went on, "now that it feels like my paws are on that path."

Sandstorm huffed. "There's more to being deputy than mentoring apprentices," she pointed out. "You're overthinking things, Mistyfoot. If you don't stop yourself you'll tangle your paws before your goal has a chance of coming true."

Mistyfoot's mouth felt dry at her words. _She's right, I know she is,_ she thought. _But how do I get out of my own head?_ All she could manage was a simple "Thank you." After all, some advice was better than none.

"Hey, Sandstorm?"

"Yes, Sorrelpaw?" Sandstorm paused the patrol with a flick of her tail, turning her head back to look at the apprentices. Mistyfoot looked back, too, curious.

Sorrelpaw's dappled head was tilted. "I smell something odd ahead," she reported. "Harsh and… musty."

"ShadowClan?" Mistyfoot questioned. ShadowClan scent was famous for its musty, wet smell that was often searing on the nostrils – but Mistyfoot doubted ShadowClan was this far into ThunderClan territory.

Sorrelpaw shook her head. "It's faint but I know it's not ShadowClan," she admitted.

Sandstorm opened her jaws to scent the air, and Mistyfoot narrowed her eyes, hoping to catch a glimpse of the source of the scent. All she saw were the regular ThunderClan trails through the heavy greenleaf forest. She loved the forest dearly but had to admit that threats must be much easier to spot on the moors or in RiverClan's grassier lands.

Nightpaw flicked his tail and started down the path, his nose to the trail, but Sandstorm grabbed him by the scruff and pulled him back.

"Stay still," she grunted around a mouthful of her son's fur, "and listen."

Nightpaw went limp, and Sandstorm let him go. The pale ginger she-cat's muzzle was twitching, and Mistyfoot marveled at her thoroughness. _Sandstorm is the Clan's best hunter,_ Mistyfoot reflected. _You don't get that way by sight alone._

"What is it?" Mistyfoot asked. She didn't recognize the scent well herself, and she cursed her youth for that – beyond the battle with BloodClan, Mistyfoot's path had crossed few threats, other than a stray fox or two last leaf-bare.

"Badger," Sandstorm decided, whiskers twitching. "Not fresh, but not stale either. We need to report this immediately."

Mistyfoot's neck bristled, and her hackles rose. "A badger?!" she repeated. "Do you think it could be the one that killed Willowpelt last greenleaf?" She hadn't been on the patrol to hunt down that badger, but she'd seen the damage it'd done to the lovely ThunderClan queen.

Sorrelpaw let out a gasp. "C-Could it be?" she fretted, eyes wide. Mistyfoot felt a pang of sympathy – Sorrelpaw and her brothers were the kits of Whitestorm and Tigerstar, ThunderClan's former deputy and leader, but Willowpelt had borne and nursed them. There had been a lot of tragedy in the young she-cat's life.

"If it is, I don't know," Sandstorm admitted, her eyes sparking with sympathy at her apprentice. "It doesn't much matter – it needs to go. Badgers might not look like a threat but they very much are… and with Ferncloud's kits coming any day I don't want it on my territory. Let's go."

* * *

"I, Tinystar, leader of ThunderClan, ask our warrior ancestors to look down upon this apprentice. She has worked doubly hard to understand the ways of the forest and your noble code, and I commend her to you as a warrior in her turn."

Silence descended upon the clearing. The sun was setting in a red flare, but it did little to cool the forest. The sunset turned Tinystar into an icy-eyed shadow on the Highrock as he looked down at the Clan – almost every cat gathered to watch Sorrelpaw finally become a warrior.

"Sorrelpaw, do you promise to uphold the warrior code, to protect and defend this Clan, even at the cost of your life?" Tinystar asked.

Sorrelpaw nodded, the white patches of her pelt glowing in the orange light. "I do."

Tinystar leaped down from the Highrock and approached the apprentice. He raised his voice: "Then by the powers of StarClan I give you your warrior name. Sorrelpaw, from this moment forth you will be known as Sorreltail – StarClan honors your courage and patience, and we welcome you as a full warrior of ThunderClan."

Sorreltail and Tinystar touched noses, and the crowd erupted into cheers. Loudest of all were Rainwhisker and Sootfur, who pushed their way to the front of the crowd to smother their littermate.

"Sorreltail! Sorreltail!"

Mistyfoot raised her voice as loud as she could. Every apprentice deserved their warrior name, but Sorreltail had worked doubly hard for hers.

"We made a nest just for you," Rainwhisker purred. "Right next to ours!"

"Enjoy holding vigil all alone tonight!" Cloudtail, Tinystar's niece, crowed.

"Keep talking like that and you'll be sitting beside her," Oakheart grumbled, nudging the orange-and-white tabby.

Mistyfoot watched the Clan descend on Sorreltail with their well-wishes. She was a very popular cat, her struggle to warriorhood an inspiration, especially to the other apprentices. Mistyfoot saw Whitepaw and Sorreltail share a heartfelt muzzle brush, as if Sorreltail was passing on the mantle of eldest apprentice to the patchy white she-cat.

When the cheering finally died down, Tinystar raised his voice again: "Cats of ThunderClan, I have one more announcement to make – ThunderClan grows stronger every day, but that does not mean we can ignore threats within our own borders. Sandstorm's patrol scented a badger heading for Snakerocks earlier today – I advise all patrols, and apprentices especially, to avoid the area until more information is gathered."

A ripple of worry spread through the gathered cats. "Why not go after it now?" signed Snowstep rapidly, his fur bristling. "My kits are due any day!"

His concern spread, especially to the gathered queens. Silverstream lashed her tail. "We can't risk it coming near the nursery!" she insisted. "Ferncloud will be very weak!"

"Patience," Tinystar soothed, his icy-blue eyes settling on his Clanmates. Mistyfoot marveled at how one word and a look could settle an entire Clan. _Is that the power of being leader? Or is it just Tinystar?_ "A patrol will look into it tomorrow. For now, I see no reason we can't celebrate Sorreltail's accomplishment."

The Clan seemed placated, for now. Oakheart began to dole out the evening meal from the fresh-kill pile and the Clan separated to feast. Sorreltail got first pick, and went to eat with her littermates by the warrior's den. Mistyfoot was given a squirrel and wondered, briefly, if she could join Sorreltail – but the new warrior was already surrounded.

"Want to eat together?" Mistyfoot asked Oakheart instead.

Her father's eyes sparkled. "Of course, dear heart," he purred. "Let me take some prey to Tinystar, and then we can eat."

Mistyfoot nodded. She padded away, looking for a clear spot – unfortunately the only one was near the apprentice's den. Sighing, she headed over. There was no shame in eating with the apprentices, but Mistyfoot had hoped to have some privacy with her father after such a thought-provoking day.

"So… how dangerous are badgers, anyway?" Mistyfoot's ear twitched, hearing Shrewpaw's voice. Mistyfoot didn't move, tucking her paws beneath her. "Snowstep and Silverstream seemed really worried."

"They're not much bigger than cats," answered Nightpaw, "I can't imagine they're too dangerous."

Mistyfoot's tail twitched with frustration. Hadn't these cats ever listened to a single elder's story?

"Could I fight one?" Shrewpaw wondered.

"Probably!" Nightpaw purred.

Mistyfoot's fur bristled, and she could take listening no longer. She whirled on the apprentices, eyes narrowed. "Nightpaw, don't say things like that!" she hissed. "You don't know anything about how dangerous badgers are – you've never even seen one!"

Shrewpaw flinched and shut his jaws, looking embarrassed – but Nightpaw had no such tact. The small black tom shrugged and curled his tail around his paws. "They're not such a big deal," he insisted. "A patrol of two or three cats could handle it."

Mistyfoot growled, "They _kill_ cats – has Dustpelt taught you nothing? Didn't you hear Sandstorm earlier? It could be the same one that killed Willowpelt!"

Nightpaw narrowed his eyes, icy-blue like his father's. "Dustpelt teaches me everything!" he insisted. "He's a very good mentor!"

"Not good enough if you think an apprentice can take on a badger without consequence," Mistyfoot snapped back, digging her claws into the earth.

"Uh…" Shrewpaw backed away, tail low.

"You don't know everything, Nightpaw!" Mistyfoot went on, baring her teeth. "Acting like you do will only get you killed one day!"

"_Enough!"_

Mistyfoot flinched at the authoritative voice. Dustpelt thrust his muzzle between Mistyfoot and Nightpaw, his amber eyes narrowed. A shock of embarrassment flooded Mistyfoot's fur, drowning out the heat caught in her pelt with a wave of icy cold shame.

"Dustpelt, I-I-" Mistyfoot choked on the words.

"I'm sorry, Dustpelt!" Nightpaw fretted, looking scared. "W-We were just-"

"I don't care," spat Dustpelt, lashing his tail. "Nightpaw, stop behaving like a little know-it-all, and Mistyfoot!"

Mistyfoot swallowed.

"Stop letting yourself be goaded into arguments with an apprentice," Dustpelt finished. "It's not very warrior-like."

Mistyfoot looked down at her paws, unable to respond.

"Go get prey to the elders, Nightpaw," Dustpelt grunted, sounding tired. "You can eat with them, since you feel like talking so much."

Nightpaw sighed and lowered his head, picking up his prey and sulking across the clearing. Mistyfoot watched him go, and didn't move herself until the small black tom disappeared into the elder's den. Dustpelt had left by then, taking Shrewpaw with him to eat with Cinderpelt and Spiderpaw, Mistyfoot guessed.

Mistyfoot lashed her tail. _I let him make a fool out of me!_ She thought angrily, digging her claws into the grass. _But it wasn't safe for him to encourage Shrewpaw to fight badgers!_

She sighed. "At least Ashfur didn't see," she muttered. She'd never hear the end of things if the dappled warrior had caught her fighting with an apprentice.

"At least Ashfur didn't see what?"

Oakheart's voice made Mistyfoot jump.

The brown warrior chuckled. "Sorry," he mewed, amber eyes soft, "Tinystar wanted to chat about the badger situation. Ready to eat?"

Mistyfoot only nodded.

"Having trouble with Ashfur lately?" Oakheart asked. "I can talk to him again if you want-"

Mistyfoot laid her tail along her father's shoulders. "Don't worry about it," she insisted. "Let's just eat."

Oakheart seemed happy with that. They settled together, pelts brushing, and shared between them a squirrel and a thrush. By the time their bellies were full, the sun had set and many cats had moved to their nests. Mistyfoot saw Sorreltail take her place below the Highrock, her white patches glowing like starlight in the darkness. Her silent vigil was beginning, and she looked very proud.

"I'm glad she's become a warrior, finally," Oakheart purred, looking at the young she-cat. "She's worked very hard."

"She has," Mistyfoot agreed. "It'll be nice to share a den again. Sootfur snores."

Oakheart purred, twining his tail with his daughter's. "Shrewpaw will sit there too, sooner than you think."

Mistyfoot leaned against her father, feeling the heat of the day and a full belly sap the last of her energy. "Yeah?" she mused. "I hope so."

Oakheart's whiskers twitched. If he wanted to say more, he didn't – leaving Mistyfoot to look at the Highrock and imagine Shrewpaw, a full grown warrior, sitting in its shadow with his sister, tall and proud and ready to welcome a new dawn with his warrior name.

_I'll get him there,_ she promised herself, eyes feeling heavy. _Everyone says I can. I can do it._

_I'll make him a great warrior._


	5. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3**

_Mistyfoot wished for rain as she_ shook humidity from her pelt. Heat clung in the air like a burr, especially in the evening. It was making patrolling harder for ThunderClan – to beat the heat Tinystar ordered patrols only in the early morning and late evening and reports indicated that, in the past two days, every Clan was doing something similar.

"We'll have to take water from the river at this rate," muttered Mistyfoot. "The stream in the training hollow has all but dried."

Oakheart flicked his ear. "I know," he mused. "I'll have to talk with Tinystar about it."

Their patrol was small, and Mistyfoot was glad for it. She enjoyed padding along ThunderClan's well-worn trails with her father. It reminded her of times when Oakheart would take her and her littermates out of camp as kits, to explore some of the forest beyond the ravine – only now it was just Mistyfoot and Oakheart and, of course, Shrewpaw.

Mistyfoot's apprentice was stalking a bird not far away. The two warriors paused to let him practice – even if he didn't catch it, it wasn't as if the heat wave was hurting ThunderClan's prey pile. Every creature was out searching for easy water sources, and that made them vulnerable.

"He's picked up bird stalking very easily," Mistyfoot pointed out, looking at Shrewpaw's form.

Oakheart nodded. "That's one area you always had trouble," he pointed out.

Mistyfoot flicked her ear. "Father!" she huffed, embarrassment pricking her pelt. But in the end, bird stalking was a hard one to master, and Mistyfoot was proud of her apprentice. Birds had the pesky problem of taking flight right when a hunter was about to pounce, unlike shrews or voles or rabbits.

There was a shuffle in the leaf litter, and a grunt of satisfaction. Mistyfoot peered through the undergrowth. Shrewpaw had made his catch, and was proudly padding towards them. The tang of blood touched the air.

"Good catch!" Mistyfoot praised.

Shrewpaw put his catch down. "I smelled another," he mewed. "Can I go after it?" He looked between the two warriors, eyes sparkling with adrenaline.

"Go on," Mistyfoot told him. "Be sure to catch up with us afterward!"

"Thanks!" Shrewpaw's tail curled over his back. He slipped off the trail and back into the overgrown undergrowth.

Mistyfoot lost sight of him, but could hear him rustling in the ferns not far away. Oakheart's whiskers twitched and he began to pad along the trail. Mistyfoot followed.

"You're a good teacher to Shrewpaw," Oakheart mewed. "I'm proud of you."

Mistyfoot blinked gratefully at Oakheart. "Thank you," she meowed, a warm feeling spreading in her chest. "That means a lot."

Oakheart's tail flicked her shoulder. "You're well on your way to taking my place," he purred.

Mistyfoot fluffed up her fur, feeling flustered at the idea. "I-I don't want to take _your_ place!"

Oakheart didn't seem offended. His eyes sparkled as he looked at his daughter. "I'm not the youngest cat in the forest, Mistyfoot. I don't catch birds like I used to. _Someone_ is going to have to take my place."

Mistyfoot turned her eyes to her paws. "I'm not experienced enough yet," she mumbled. The thought of her father growing old made her heart ache. Oakheart had always been there, throughout everything – losing Mosspaw, watching Stonepaw go, through all of the bullying and prejudice that Mistyfoot faced as a kit and apprentice… The idea of him disappearing from her life sooner rather than later made Mistyfoot deeply sad, and frightened of the loneliness that would inevitably follow.

What would she do without him?

A sharp cry pierced the forest. A flock of birds screeched in response, filling the air with the sound of their wings.

"What was _that?"_ Oakheart breathed.

Mistyfoot froze, tail fluffed as fear struck her. "That was Shrewpaw!" she screeched, rushing past her father.

Undergrowth tugged at her pelt and ferns slapped Mistyfoot in the face as she tore through the forest, blowing past ThunderClan's usual trails. Oakheart panted behind her. Another cry pierced the air – not Shrewpaw, but another cat, and closer. Mistyfoot put on speed, narrowly avoiding hazardous roots in her path thanks to muscle memory.

"They're at Snakerocks!" Oakheart meowed, lengthening his stride to run shoulder to shoulder with Mistyfoot. His eyes flashed. "The badger!"

Mistyfoot's heart beat in her ears while her stomach flipped over. "Is there a patrol there?" she panted, leaping over a thin-trunked tree that had fallen over leaf-bare.

Oakheart landed with a grunt, but did not slow his pace. "We've sent scouts to figure out a way to – _hah_ – lure the badger out," he meowed, panting, "but we haven't attacked it yet."

Mistyfoot bristled with alarm. If the badger was still there… _Oh no,_ she thought, thinking back to Sorreltail's warrior ceremony two days ago. Nightpaw and Shrewpaw, talking about taking on the badger… _Oh StarClan, no!_

Snakerocks loomed through the forest, and Mistyfoot and Oakheart had to skid to a stop. Oakheart coughed into some ferns, heat and effort making him wheeze. Mistyfoot's pelt clung to her body, feeling heavier than a boulder – but she loped up to the edge of Snakerocks and peered through the fern fronds.

The tumble of boulders, overgrown with vines and lichen, stank of badger. Mistyfoot tried not to gag. The stones were often the home for snakes, which liked to hide in the cracks and crevices – but there were a small collection of caves formed by the stones, too, which often hid larger predators. _Including the dogs my mother… Bluestar… tried to use to kill ThunderClan._

That was long ago now, but it seemed like Snakerocks was never free of trouble.

Shrewpaw was backed up against one of the stones, bristling to the ends of his fur. The badger was looming over him, snuffling and snarling, scratching at the rocks with her claws. Mistyfoot was, for a moment, stunned – Shrewpaw had a clear avenue of escape. He could easily outrun that badger. Why was he staying?

Movement in the shadows caught Mistyfoot's eye. A small black shape was crouched inside a cracked, hollowed out old log. She saw the white tip of his tail trembling.

Nightpaw!

"Nightpaw is here," Mistyfoot hissed.

Oakheart, now beside her, bristled. "I'll distract the badger – you get the apprentices out of here."

Mistyfoot had no time to protest. Oakheart flung himself into the fray, screeching to get the creature's attention. Mistyfoot followed, her pads scraping against the stony earth.

The badger shifted, confused. She lashed out with a forepaw and almost took Shrewpaw's muzzle with her long claws. Shrewpaw flinched and lashed out himself, catching his claws in her bristling fur.

Mistyfoot opened her jaws to warn Shrewpaw, but the badger let out an annoyed howl and whipped around. One of her broad paws slapped Shrewpaw aside. The small cat bounced off of one of the stones and lay still on the earth.

"_Shrewpaw!"_ screeched Mistyfoot, panic shooting through her limbs.

"Get Nightpaw!" Oakheart yowled, his voice forcing its way into Mistyfoot's head. _"Now!"_

Mistyfoot turned her head away from Oakheart as he faced the badger, snarling and bristling. She found Nightpaw in the hollow log easily – there was a tang of blood in the air, and only one eye met hers.

"What happened?" she hissed.

Nightpaw crawled out of the log, trembling. There was a cut above one of his eyes – nothing life threatening, but bleeding quite a bit. "I-I was hunting with Dustpelt!" he panted. "I-I saw a shrew run this way a-and…"

"And you _followed?!"_ snapped Mistyfoot. "What were you _thinking?"_

Nightpaw flinched. "I got turned around and ended up here by accident," he insisted, "I swear by StarClan!"

Mistyfoot had no idea whether or not Nightpaw was telling the truth, but she had no time to figure it out. "Get in the ferns and stay put," she ordered.

Nightpaw didn't argue, for once. He fled, tail tucked, leaving little spatters of blood behind him. Mistyfoot whirled around and leaped back into the fray, claws unsheathed, moving through all she knew about fighting badgers from her days as Tinystar's apprentice.

Oakheart was tired, clearly, his eyes glassy with pain. Mistyfoot saw a cut down her father's side and winced, feeling fear and fury well up in her all at once as she faced the black-and-gray creature.

"She's fierce," Oakheart wheezed. "Be careful."

Mistyfoot nodded. A badger's sight would be just as keen as a cats' in the growing dark.

The badger lumbered forward, growling low in its throat. Mistyfoot hissed and lashed out, catching her claws on the badger's nose. Blood welled up on the badger's striped muzzle, and Mistyfoot felt a flash of satisfaction.

Oakheart snarled and tried to shuffle to the side, tail lashing. The badger caught sight of him, however, and swung her head to snap her jaws. Mistyfoot saw her teeth catch her father's leg, and heard a snapping noise. Oakheart let out a bellow of pain.

Mistyfoot yowled in fury and leaped, digging her claws into the badger's pelt. Tinystar's training flitted through her mind, cut with panic and fury. The badger whirled, turning in circles, trying to dislodge Mistyfoot.

Adrenaline pumped through her veins as Mistyfoot clung. Snakerocks spun all around her, threatening to make her ill – still she clung, knowing that sooner or later _something_ had to make the badger stop. Endurance was all she had.

_StarClan help us!_ She thought.

As if in answer to her prayers, a yowl rose into the growing darkness. "ThunderClan, _attack!"_

Through the flailing of the badger Mistyfoot spotted Dustpelt, Snowstep, Swiftfoot, and Cloudtail streaming into Snakerocks, claws unsheathed and tails bristling. A whole patrol!

The badger stopped, stunned by all the newcomers. Mistyfoot slithered off of the badger's side, trembling and feeling weak and dizzy from the cloying smells of badger and blood.

Snowstep and Swiftfoot flanked the badger quickly, snapping at her heels. Dustpelt and Cloudtail charged at her headlong, screeching in fury. Terrified, the badger scrambled backwards, crawling desperately over the rocks to escape. Snowstep and Swiftfoot followed, with Cloudtail snapping at her tail.

"Get them out of here!" snapped Dustpelt.

Mistyfoot nodded, still dazed. She watched Dustpelt follow his patrol through the undergrowth before she staggered to her paws, shaking her head to clear it. The adrenaline was fading and clarity was returning – and along with exhaustion, the panic returned.

_Shrewpaw! Oakheart!_

Her father was closer. He'd dragged himself towards a rock, grunting in pain as he lay in the undergrowth. Blood oozed from his leg and side and his eyes were glazed. Mistyfoot buried her nose in his pelt and began cleaning his wounds with a shaky muzzle.

Oakheart hissed in pain. "I'll be fine," he gasped. "Where's Shrewpaw?"

White hot panic shot through Mistyfoot. She raised her head, her eyes darting from rock to rock, trying to find where Shrewpaw had landed. The sound he'd made when he hit the stone… _Oh StarClan, please let him be alive!_

A dark shape moved through the area, and for a moment Mistyfoot wondered if the badger had returned – but a flash of white betrayed Nightpaw once again. The small tom was crawling between the stones, and Mistyfoot's eye followed him until he slumped down beside a dark, sodden brown shape.

Shrewpaw.

Mistyfoot stumbled over to her apprentice. "Shrewpaw?" she asked hesitantly.

Nothing.

Nightpaw buried his muzzle into Shrewpaw's ruff. "He's not breathing," the small apprentice whispered. "Oh StarClan… it's…"

_It's all my fault,_ Mistyfoot thought numbly, sinking to her belly. She pressed her muzzle into Shrewpaw's fur. He was still as the stone he'd slammed against, and growing just as cold. Only his fur stirred, and that was with Mistyfoot's own ragged gasps.

All of her energy drained out of her until she felt cold, exposed, and utterly defeated. She slumped against Shrewpaw's body and let out a wail.


	6. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4**

"_They're looking beautiful, Ferncloud," Brackenfur reassured._

Ferncloud sighed with relief. Shadepaw's tail flicked curiously as she blinked in the gloom. Only fading sunshine streaming through the tiniest of gaps in the thicket let light inside the nursery. The smell of warmth and milk and kits was thick and Shadepaw wondered how any queen found their way around the den.

Three kits squirmed at Ferncloud's belly. Her first litter – two toms and a she-kit, all gray bundles splashed with white. Shadepaw had wanted to be there to see them be born and take part, but Brackenfur had said she needed more training under her fur before she handled a kitting. Shadepaw wasn't sure, but Brackenfur was her mentor – and she had not been medicine cat apprentice for long.

Ferncloud touched one of the kits' white ears with her nose. "What if one of them is deaf, Brackenfur?" she fretted.

Brackenfur's whiskers twitched in the dark. "It's not a concern, Ferncloud," he purred. "They wouldn't have any more trouble communicating with the Clan than their father."

Shadepaw blinked at the kittens. Snowstep, ThunderClan's only deaf warrior, was their father. Was there a way to tell if a kit would be deaf? _Brackenfur told me that white cats with blue eyes could be deaf,_ she thought, _but is it something that can pass to kits? How white does a kit need to be to be deaf?_ She filed the thoughts away as questions to ask Brackenfur later.

"Do you think Snowstep will be back soon?" Ferncloud wondered. "I'd like them to see us if they open their eyes today."

"I don't think they'll be opening their eyes for a day or two more, Ferncloud," soothed Brackenfur.

_I wish I knew enough to give advice like that,_ she thought, seeing Ferncloud's worry fade at Brackenfur's words. All she felt capable of asking was: "Have you named them?"

Ferncloud flicked her tail to the kits. "We agreed on names last night," she purred. "Hollykit is the only she-kit - she's the gray tortoiseshell in the middle, there. Birchkit and Larchkit are the toms! Birchkit is the smaller one with the pale splotches, and Larchkit is the biggest, with the white tail there. See?"

Shadepaw nodded. "They're good names," she mewed.

"Hollykit, Birchkit, and Larchkit – welcome to ThunderClan," Brackenfur purred. He touched his nose to each kit's brow, his whiskers twitching over them. "Watch, Shadepaw – this is how a medicine cat welcomes a new arrival to the Clan."

Shadepaw's eyes widened, and she hunkered down to observe as Brackenfur gently breathed over each kit in turn.

"StarClan welcomes you to ThunderClan, kits," Brackenfur recited over the small, squirming bodies. "May your lives be long and your hardships few."

_May your lives be long and your hardships few…_ Shadepaw repeated. _Got it._ So many medicine cat rituals involved memorizing phrases. Shadepaw wondered how she might remember them all! And what happened if a medicine cat screwed up?

"Thank you, Brackenfur," Ferncloud mewed softly.

Brackenfur dipped his head, and then turned to Shadepaw. "Go and fetch some borage for Ferncloud."

Shadepaw nodded and turned around, pushing her way through the tangled gorse entrance and out into the camp. The sharp sunlight nearly blinded her – Shadepaw had to stand a moment, blinking, in order to get her bearings. Heat settled on her pelt like a blanket of moss, and Shadepaw was shocked at how cool the normally-warm nursery had felt in comparison.

Still, it was early evening and the camp was calm. The night would surely cool the forest down. Shadepaw trotted through the camp, tail up. The medicine cat's den was almost always in the shade, and Shadepaw pushed her way through the ferns and into the cool den, relishing the cold, sandy floor beneath her paws.

Shadepaw stuck her head into the boulder in the center of the den, which cracked in half long before she was born. The dark spot inside served as Brackenfur's den, and as a storage place for their herbs, which would spoil if stored otherwise.

She peered over the leaves, tail flicking uncertainly. Which one was borage? In the fading light it was difficult to tell. There was so much to learn about being a medicine cat, and Shadepaw was still learning the herbs and their uses on top of all the rituals.

_Brackenfur will be mad if I'm late,_ she thought. _Oh StarClan, which one is it?_

A sweet scent touched Shadepaw's nose. It brushed against her pelt, guiding her nose to a fuzzier blue flower, and its leaves, wrinkled and dried. Shadepaw gave it a sniff, and knew that it was the right one – the sweet, familiar smell of borage was all over it.

"Thanks, Spottedleaf," Shadepaw purred quietly.

Shadepaw took a bundle of the leaves in her jaws and left the den.

Her feeling of triumph faded as soon as she stepped into the camp, replaced with a dread that crept up her spine and touched the roots of her fur. Shadepaw stopped, confused and scared, the smell of borage clogging her senses.

_Something's happening,_ she thought, eyes widened. _Something bad!_

Before she could speak, the gorse tunnel waved frantically. Shadepaw had a hard time identifying the cats by their backsides as they dragged something through the tunnel, but Shadepaw recognized Nightpaw right away, his stature and the dreadful feeling pulsing from his very being a clear giveaway.

Cats immediately began to crowd, coming out of the shady parts of the clearing to see what was happening. Shadepaw put down the borage and found that her senses were now clogged with the smell of blood. Shadepaw trembled.

"What's going on?" cried Cinderpelt. "Is that… _Shrewpaw?!"_

"Shrewpaw!" called Spiderpaw from the apprentice's den, her eyes wide.

Beside Shadepaw, Sandstorm bristled. "I smell badger," she hissed.

"Oakheart! Are you okay?" asked Rainwhisker, the gray tom bristling.

"Mistyfoot?" Mousefur called. The dusky she-cat pushed her way out of the dirtplace. "Mistyfoot, what happened?"

"Give us room!" Brackenfur's voice boomed through the clearing. Shadepaw saw him at the entrance of the nursery, his amber eyes sharp. "Shadepaw, to me!"

Shadepaw swallowed and forced herself to move through the crowd, all of them wondering what was happening just as much as she was. The dreadful feeling in her pelt pulsed harder and harder the closer she got to the center, where Nightpaw was. Shadepaw had to force herself to breathe to try and push the cloud of feelings away, or she would never be able to focus.

She broke through the crowd and into the center. Shadepaw forced down a whimper at the sight.

Shrewpaw and Oakheart lay on the ground, blood pooling beneath them – Shrewpaw was still and unmoving, but Oakheart was still breathing, though his leg looked like a horror. Mistyfoot was on her haunches, her blue eyes unfocused and far away, and Nightpaw was on his own nearer to the crowd, staring at his paws.

"Whitepaw, take that borage near the medicine cat's den to Ferncloud, will you?" Brackenfur instructed. The golden brown tom was moving about the scene with confidence. "Everyone else, please – clear away. We need space to work."

The Clan cats, murmuring indistinctly, stepped back into the shade. Cinderpelt refused to move, however, curling her body around Shrewpaw. She nudged her kit with her nose, bristling.

"_Move,_ Shrewpaw," she begged quietly. "Please, oh please…"

"Shadepaw," Brackenfur meowed over her, "fetch cobwebs and marigold."

Shadepaw swallowed, nodding. She whipped around and bounded back into the medicine cat's den, her mind's fog clearing now that she had a task. _Nightpaw isn't hurt,_ she told herself. _But others are._

She knew which one was marigold, and she grabbed some thyme stems too. Nightpaw's shock was pricking her pelt, and she imagined that Mistyfoot might need some, too. Shadepaw quickly wrapped a wad of cobwebs around her paw and knew it wouldn't be enough, but it would have to do, and she limped out of the den laden with curatives.

Brackenfur immediately teased the cobwebs off of her paw and onto his own, balancing awkwardly on his long-ago injured leg. "Mix the marigold into a poultice and – is that thyme? Good thinking, throw a few leaves of that in there too."

Shadepaw's pelt didn't prick with pride as she worked, but she was glad for the praise. She chewed up the marigold petals until they were a paste between her teeth, spitting them out so that she could do the same with the thyme.

She kept one eye on Brackenfur, who was weaving cobwebs over Oakheart's wounds. Shadepaw knew some cats were too squeamish to look at such bloody gashes, but she found it fascinating, especially when Brackenfur's cobwebs sopped up the worst of the blood still oozing from the wound.

"It's done," Shadepaw mewed, gooping the poultice onto her paw to pass to Brackenfur. Her mouth tasted foul and sharp.

Brackenfur nodded and took the poultice in his other paw. Shadepaw watched as he plastered Oakheart's fur with the cobwebs until the tom's pelt stuck up and glistened. Shadepaw hoped she had made enough.

"What about Shrewpaw?" Cinderpelt breathed, glaring at Brackenfur. "He's hurt! Brackenfur!"

Shadepaw swallowed.

"He's dead, Cinderpelt," breathed a voice. Shadepaw's ears pricked – she hadn't ever heard her father sound so solemn. The peace the Clans were living in made incidents like this a rarity. Tinystar padded up to the dark gray she-cat and licked her ear comfortingly. "Mistyfoot just finished giving me the report."

Cinderpelt's fur bristled to its ends. She opened her jaws, and Shadepaw prepared herself for a tirade from the she-cat – but all that came out was a wail of sorrow that clawed Shadepaw's heart. Cinderpelt buried her face in her dead kit's fur and yowled into obscurity, her voice muffled by his pelt.

Shadepaw wished she knew what to say.

"How is Oakheart?" Tinystar asked. Shadepaw was surprised how dull his ice-blue eyes seemed as he looked over his Clanmates. Such tragedy cut him hard, Shadepaw realized.

Brackenfur's whiskers twitched. There was a little of Oakheart's blood on them. "He'll make it," the golden-brown tom reported. Shadepaw felt some relief at that, at least. "There's the danger of infection, of course, and we must set his leg before it becomes irreparable. The shock put him out but he'll wake soon, I wager."

"I'll send an apprentice for a poppy head," Tinystar offered quietly.

Brackenfur nodded. "That would help."

Tinystar touched his nose to Oakheart's cheek. "Recover, old friend," he prayed. "StarClan watch you."

Shadepaw looked between the old wounded tom and the young, dead apprentice and wondered what exactly had happened. She couldn't get the answer just from Nightpaw's feelings, but with them she could surmise that the badger had been a horrible part of it.

_I hope the monster is dead,_ she thought bitterly, digging her claws into the earth. _First Willowpelt, and now Shrewpaw, too._

The gorse tunnel rustled, and in came Dustpelt's patrol – Snowstep, Cloudtail, and Swiftfoot. Snowstep immediately headed for the nursery. Brightheart gasped and pressed her pelt against her mates. Dustpelt padded over to Tinystar.

"We drove the badger over the Thunderpath," he reported, his voice terse. "We should have killed it."

Tinystar's ear flicked. "And risk your lives, too?" the black tom rasped. "I'm sorry, Dustpelt, but no. You did the right thing."

Dustpelt's eyes burned into Shrewpaw's pelt, and while Shadepaw had no way of knowing just how intense the feeling was, she knew that Dustpelt's gaze could have set that badger on fire if it would bring his son to life.

"Badgers! Filthy things," spat Cloudtail. "If I never see one, it'll be too soon."

Beside her, Swiftfoot curled his lip as he looked over the scene. "Badgers and cats just don't mix," he agreed. Shadepaw swallowed, feeling uneasy at the hardness of Swiftfoot's gaze.

"We'll send a patrol to ShadowClan to warn them," Tinystar meowed.

"Russetstar won't like that," Cloudtail pointed out. "You know how prickly she is."

Tinystar frowned. "This badger has been responsible for the deaths of two of my Clanmates, and has wounded my deputy," he growled. Shadepaw shivered as Tinystar's eyes suddenly intensified, blazing like cold flame. "I will not let that creature kill another cat in these territories."

Cloudtail grimaced.

"Prepare Shrewpaw's body for a vigil," Tinystar said resignedly.

Brackenfur nodded. The golden brown tom turned to Shadepaw. "Go and see to Nightpaw," he suggested. "I'll handle this."

Shadepaw frowned. "But I-"

"There will be plenty of time to learn how to prepare a body," Brackenfur told her gently, "but your brother needs you."

Shadepaw swallowed her words, knowing he was right. Nightpaw's anxiety was prickling at her pelt and it was taking all her effort to push it away. She couldn't imagine being able to feel every cat's feelings – it was hard enough knowing Nightpaw's.

"What about Mistyfoot?" murmured Brightheart. "Should someone go and speak with her?"

Tinystar shook his head. "It will do no good right now," he promised. "Let her mourn – this has been a grave blow to her. Then we'll figure out what to say."

Brightheart's eye looked troubled. "You know her best," she conceded.

Shadepaw frowned and looked over at Mistyfoot. The dark-pelted she-cat was lying outside the warrior's den, staring blankly out into the distance. How did she feel, seeing both her apprentice and her father lying there?

_She must be so devastated,_ Shadepaw thought as she got to her paws. Nightpaw was inside the apprentice's den, Shadepaw sensed, and she slipped inside as quietly as she could. The rasp of dry leaves against her back made her brother flinch in his nest.

Shadepaw tucked herself into her brother's nest, wrapping her tail around his body. She pondered, briefly, how much bigger she was than him. It was an odd thing to think about, now, but she couldn't help it. Shadepaw rested her muzzle beside his, letting his feelings wash over her.

"It's not your fault," she murmured. Guilt was the strongest emotion she could feel now that the world had settled.

Nightpaw didn't look at her. "Everyone is going to hate me," he whispered. "I didn't mean for it to happen, Shadepaw."

Crickets began to sing outside. "That's not true," Shadepaw insisted.

"_Mistyfoot_ hates me," Nightpaw shot back. "How could she not?"

Shadepaw frowned. "We don't know what Mistyfoot thinks," she meowed. Even as she spoke, though, she knew she was wondering it now, too – would Mistyfoot blame Nightpaw in the end? Shadepaw had the ability to look through Nightpaw's memories and see for herself that what happened had been an accident, but no other cat in the Clan had that luxury.

_I wish they did, sometimes,_ she thought, looking at her brother. _It would be so much easier, if every cat knew exactly how someone was feeling._

* * *

Shadepaw opened her eyes, confused by the way the dawn light struck her – and then she recalled she had fallen asleep in the apprentice's den. _Brackenfur will be cross!_

Nightpaw was still sleeping – Shadepaw gingerly eased herself up, not wanting to wake him. Despite his exhaustion the day before, it'd taken a while for Nightpaw to fall asleep.

Shadepaw picked her way out of the apprentice's den and into the sunlight. The clearing was quiet and sparkling with dewdrops. Cats were milling about the clearing, and Shadepaw felt a twinge of guilt. She'd slept right through Shrewpaw's vigil.

_Should I have been there?_ She wondered. Shadepaw didn't know Shrewpaw particularly well – they weren't family. No, perhaps she shouldn't have been there.

Shadepaw spotted the elders shepherding Shrewpaw's body out to ThunderClan's burial site. Near the camp entrance, Cinderpelt and Dustpelt watched their son disappear through the gorse tunnel, never to walk back through again. Cinderpelt looked haggard and weak, and Dustpelt clearly hadn't slept.

A blue-gray shape approached them. Mistyfoot. Shadepaw couldn't help but angle her ears to their conversation.

"I'm sorry," Mistyfoot said quietly. "I didn't mean for it to happen. I should have been there, I should have-"

"It wasn't your fault," Dustpelt rasped, his voice sharp with pain.

Cinderpelt nodded weakly. "You did all you could, we know that."

Mistyfoot's eyes glittered with sorrow. Shadepaw thought she didn't look as if she believed the same. Instead, the warrior murmured, "He was very brave," before padding away, heading back towards the warrior's den.

Shadepaw frowned, her heart uneasy. _Wouldn't a medicine cat try to heal the hearts of their Clanmates too?_ She thought. But how could she? She had no idea the right words to say, and speaking so thoughtlessly would only make matters worse for the grieving cats.

"Shadepaw!"

Shadepaw started as Brackenfur's voice carried across the clearing. The golden brown tom had limped out of the medicine cat's den, and he was staring right at her. Shadepaw swallowed. Was he upset?

It was hard to tell. "Come on," he meowed, before turning about and heading back through the ferns. Shadepaw put on a trot and followed, tail up, feeling embarrassment prick at her pelt.

The medicine cat's den was calm and cool, but Shadepaw guessed it wouldn't be for long. The day was already heating up outside. Her nest off to the side had been filled by Oakheart, who was stretched out and groaning softly.

Shadepaw sniffed him. Warm, but not feverish. His leg was bound with leaves, twigs, and cobweb. "What'd you do?" Shadepaw asked. She should have been here to see it for herself.

"I bound his leg with bindweed and twigs, so that it will heal straight," Brackenfur told her. "I'll show you later. Bring him some water."

Shadepaw dipped her head and set to work, pulling off a clump of moss that clung to the stony ravine walls with her claws. She soaked the moss in a small pool of rainwater and dew that collected near a low point in the den, and then brought it over to Oakheart's muzzle.

"Thanks," he rasped, bending to lap at the water.

"What about his wound?" Shadepaw wondered, looking up at her mentor.

Brackenfur was mashing together a paste of petals and leaves. Shadepaw had no idea which ones they were. "It's bad, but it could be worse," Brackenfur responded. "Change the dressing on his side, would you?"

Shadepaw nodded and set to work again, gently removing the crusted over cobweb with a claw. The bleeding had stopped and the wound was scabbing over, but it would be some time before it healed fully, she estimated, and infection was a great risk.

She put aside the soiled dressing and headed for their cobweb supply, teasing a pawful out. When she returned to Oakheart, Brackenfur was smearing his poultice over the wound.

"Putting cobwebs over the poultice helps keep it all in place," he instructed. "Watch."

Shadepaw watched carefully, intent on memorizing Brackenfur's every move, as the golden-brown tom used his claws to carefully plant the cobwebs over Oakheart's wounds. Shadepaw couldn't ever imagine being so precise.

Oakheart flinched and sputtered, hissing in pain as Brackenfur patted down the cobweb.

"Sorry," Brackenfur mewed.

Oakheart's whiskers twitched. "I'm supposed to be a big, strong warrior," he sighed. "StarClan, but this _hurts!"_

Brackenfur purred, turning to Shadepaw. "Even the strongest warriors flinch at pain," he mewed.

Shadepaw let herself mrrow in amusement. It _was_ amusing to see the Clan deputy whimper at medicine, despite it all.

The ferns rustled. Shadepaw turned and spotted a dark shape padding into the medicine cat's den – Tinystar.

"How is he?" the Clan leader asked.

"Oakheart will live," Brackenfur reported, sweeping his tail towards the deputy. "You can see him if you like."

Tinystar nodded and padded forward, slipping easily between Brackenfur and Shadepaw. Shadepaw herself scooted back, giving her father some room with his friend.

"Hey, Tinystar," wheezed Oakheart. "What a situation, hm? Like old times."

Tinystar's ear flicked. "Oh please," he mewed. "Not at all."

Shadepaw swallowed, thinking of the bond these cats shared. Tinystar and Oakheart, and Brackenfur, too, had seen so much together. Shadepaw could hear stories all day and night, but she would never know what it was like to go through it all with them.

Oakheart's tail drew close to him. "Tinystar…" he began, his eyes darkening with pain and sorrow, "I think it's time. This is a sign I ought to retire."

Tinystar narrowed his eyes. "Nonsense! You've many moons ahead of you, Oakheart."

"I'm not as young as Longtail, Tinystar," Oakheart reasoned patiently. "He'll recover from those wounds on his eyes – this? I can feel it, Tinystar. It's time. It's long past time."

Tinystar opened his jaws, and then shut them. Shadepaw watched his ice-blue eyes fill with conflict, and then understanding. "Alright, Oakheart," he breathed quietly. "It's time."

Shadepaw's eyes widened. Was this really happening? Oakheart had been deputy since before Shadepaw and Nightpaw had been born. She dug her claws into the earth with discomfort.

"Who would take your place, though?" Tinystar wondered. "Who do you think could do it?"

Oakheart swallowed, his eyes glittering with pain. "I've some ideas."

"Shadepaw, you should leave us," Brackenfur meowed.

Shadepaw blinked. "But I want to help!" she mewed, eyes widened. "Shouldn't I listen to this?"

Brackenfur shook his head. "You're still just an apprentice."

Shadepaw flattened her ears, feeling stung. But she couldn't argue, not in front of Tinystar or Oakheart. She got to her paws and headed out of the den, unsure if her pelt was hot from indignation or the harsh greenleaf sun.

It was still quiet in the camp. Nearly every warrior was awake now – the only cat missing that Shadepaw could see was Mistyfoot, who was probably still in the warrior's den. With no deputy to dole out patrols and a somber mood in the air, no cat was willing to make the first move leaving – and the fresh-kill pile being full didn't add to their motivation.

Shadepaw felt Nightpaw stirring, and she saw him outside the apprentice's den, splayed out in what little shade remained on that side of the camp. His black fur would just soak up the sunlight like moss if he let it. Shadepaw, feeling resigned, padded over to her brother.

Thankfully, no cat asked her what Oakheart's status was on the way. _Is it because I'm just an apprentice?_ Shadepaw thought ruefully. _Probably._

Nightpaw looked up from where he lay. "What's eating you?" he wondered. "Feels like you've got burrs in your pelt."

Shadepaw frowned, flopping down beside him. She busied herself with licking her white chest fur, lamenting the fact that their sibling bond went both ways.

"Brackenfur sent me away," she responded finally. She tried not to sound despondent, but there was no point faking it, not to Nightpaw.

"What for?"

Shadepaw shrugged. "Important stuff, I guess."

Nightpaw pressed close to her. Shadepaw could feel sympathy and understanding wash over her pelt like a cooling rain. She groomed away a bit of moss stuck behind her brother's ear.

"It's still not your fault, you know," she insisted.

Nightpaw's ear flicked, but he said nothing.

A flash of blue caught Shadepaw's eye, and she saw Mistyfoot emerge from the warrior's den. The she-cat's blue eyes locked on Shadepaw, and the warrior began to pad over. She looked ragged and tired, hollow and hurt. Shadepaw wished she knew what to do to help, especially with how Nightpaw tightened up at the warrior's approach.

"How's Oakheart?" Mistyfoot asked, her voice quiet.

Shadepaw swallowed. "He's fine, but he's very hurt," she reported. "He'll recover."

Mistyfoot's eyes flashed, but her expression did not change. She did not acknowledge Nightpaw as she padded away, heading for the fresh-kill pile.

"She hates me," murmured Nightpaw.

Shadepaw blinked, watching Mistyfoot stare at the prey – only to turn away. Did she really hate Nightpaw?

Ferns rustled at the other side of the camp. Tinystar emerged from the medicine cat's den, Brackenfur by his side. Together they strode through the clearing and up to the Highrock – Tinystar leaped to the top in a few bounds, his tail held high.

"All cats old enough to catch their own prey join beneath the Highrock for a Clan meeting!" he called.

Nearly every cat was already outside, but now they moved out of the shadows and towards the Highrock. Silverstream slipped out the nursery, keeping herself in the entrance so that Ferncloud wasn't left out of the loop. Graystripe settled beside her with Snowstep lying nearby. The elders poked their heads out of their fallen log, too old and tired to sit in such direct sun.

Shadepaw nudged Nightpaw to his paws, and the two of them took a place near the back of the crowd. Nightpaw curled his tail around himself self-consciously, and Shadepaw craned her neck to see her father, who was just a black speck on top of the Highrock.

"You are all aware of what happened yesterday with the badger," Tinystar announced. "It is a great loss to ThunderClan to lose Shrewpaw, but the badger has been run off. ThunderClan will mourn Shrewpaw in the moons to come."

The Clan dipped their head. Cinderpelt and Dustpelt hunched together near the front of the crowd. Shadepaw could see Spiderpaw pressing her pelt against her parents, her head low. How was she feeling, having lost her brother? Shadepaw tried to imagine the gulf of nothingness in her life if Nightpaw were gone and almost made herself whimper.

"Oakheart has been injured," Tinystar meowed, "and we have both come to an agreement – Oakheart has decided to retire, as deputy and as a warrior."

Nightpaw stiffened beside Shadepaw, and she felt another wave of guilt crash over him. _It's my fault,_ he was wailing inside. _All mine!_

Shadepaw licked his ear, wishing he would hear her if she said it wasn't. All around them the Clan murmured worriedly.

"He's been deputy for moons," Whitepaw murmured. Her ginger tabby tail was curled tight around her body, for security. "Who will be next?"

"No idea," Sootfur mewed, his eyes flashing uncertainly. "Who can take his place?"

"Badgers!" cursed Sorreltail, lashing her dappled tail. "I hope we never see another again!" Beside her, Mousefur and Swiftfoot nodded in agreement.

Tinystar raised his tail for quiet. "Cats of ThunderClan, this is a dark time, yes, but no storm lasts forever," he announced. "We are ThunderClan, and we have faced every trial placed in front of us like warriors. This one is no different.

"With Oakheart's blessing, and the wisdom of StarClan, the next deputy of ThunderClan will be Sandstorm," Tinystar announced.

The Clan rippled with surprise and approval. Both Shadepaw and Nightpaw exchanged a shocked glance. It was rare for a Clan leader to appoint their own mate as their deputy, but it seemed that no cat could think of anyone else more capable to take Oakheart's place.

Sandstorm herself looked surprised. "Thank you, Tinystar," she meowed. The pale ginger she-cat took her place in the shadow of the Highrock, her tail held high. "I will do my best to serve the Clan."

"I know you will," Tinystar agreed, looking fondly down at his mate.

Shadepaw swallowed. _My parents now lead the Clan together,_ she thought. _Talk about pressure!_ She could feel it from Nightpaw, too – expectations were sure to mount even higher on both their shoulders.

"Sandstorm! Sandstorm!" cried the Clan. Shadepaw and Nightpaw both raised their voices high for their mother. _"ThunderClan!"_

Tinystar looked down at his Clan, his blue eyes approving. He leaped down, signaling the end of the meeting – and it seemed like the Clan was breaking apart into a much happier air than before. Shadepaw could feel it tingling her whiskers – even if Nightpaw was feeling guilty, he was still proud to be ThunderClan.

Nearby, Shadepaw saw Ashfur curl his lip as Mistyfoot and Mousefur passed him. He was always the only cat to find fault, especially with Mistyfoot. "I knew you'd fail," he hissed to her. "It was only a matter of time."

Shadepaw saw Mistyfoot flinch, but she did not look back at the dappled gray warrior. Mousefur whispered something in her ear before whipping around to face Ashfur.

"Shut up, flea-brain," Mousefur snapped, lashing her tail.

Shadepaw watched Mousefur and Mistyfoot pass, the two she-cats heading for the gorse tunnel. Ashfur sat in the clearing, his blue eyes dark. Though the Clan seemed to be in higher spirits, he was a dark cloud in the horizon. How did he ever get to be so bitter towards his own Clanmate?

_We need to move on,_ she thought. _But some cats just aren't capable of it._


	7. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5**

_Mistyfoot narrowed her eyes against the_ glare of the sun as it struck a puddle leftover from last night's bare sprinkle. The forest smelled fresh and full of new growth as she prowled through the undergrowth, her belly fur barely dragging the leaf litter. She made sure to keep her plumy tail off the ground – one of her first lessons as Tinystar's apprentice was that her tail would give her away if she didn't pay attention to it.

The forest was quiet but all around Mistyfoot's sensitive ears could pick up the sounds of prey scrabbling and fluttering in the trees. She narrowed her keen eyes, looking for the slightest rustle that would –

There!

A squirrel poked its head out from underneath a nearby juniper bush. Mistyfoot stopped in her tracks, whiskers twitching. There were plenty of nuts in this part of the forest, and the squirrel inched its way out to shuffle in the litter. Mistyfoot watched it pick up a nut and stuff it into its cheeks.

_Patience…_

The squirrel turned its back.

Mistyfoot bunched her haunches and sprang.

The squirrel squeaked in alarm, startled as Mistyfoot's forepaws landed just a whiskerlength too short. Cursing, Mistyfoot lashed her tail as she watched the squirrel flee. _How could I have missed?_

She swallowed, and then froze. There was something wrong about this dream. Mistyfoot couldn't quite put her paw on it, but it felt as if she were suddenly aware of something she shouldn't be – like she was in more control of herself than she had ever been before.

_I've dreamed this dream before,_ she thought, flicking her tail.

Mistyfoot opened her jaws to scent the air, but all she could taste was cold, frosty night. She sat down on her haunches. Now that she knew that this was a dream, she wanted to wake up – but she didn't know how, and wondered if she should even bother trying.

_It's the first dream I've had that didn't have Shrewpaw's face in it,_ Mistyfoot thought. Guilt settled bitterly in her stomach, and her claws sank into the soft earth. For days she had floated from patrol to patrol, feeling as out of body as she did right now – hearing murmuring from her Clanmates and knowing they were talking about her. And then, seeing Shrewpaw's face in her dreams…

Mistyfoot sighed. It was like living a nightmare.

Suddenly there was a softness in the air – a gentle scent that Mistyfoot had not smelled for seasons, that tugged at her heart and made her look up from her paws with eyes wide in disbelief.

The world was glittering with starlight, where before it seemed like a normal part of the forest. Every color changed and saturated, looking otherworldly to Mistyfoot's eye. She swallowed around a lump in her throat as a young-bodied she-cat pushed through the bright ferns, her pelt patched with dark gray and her fur still soft with youth.

"Mosspaw," Mistyfoot whispered.

The memory of her sister flashed through her mind – once ThunderClan's medicine cat apprentice, Mosspaw had fought Bluestar's legacy in her own way, through healing. And then, during the battle with BloodClan, she sacrificed herself to save the other medicine cats from Bone, one of BloodClan's deadliest cats.

Mistyfoot's claws flexed, remembering the feeling of Bone's blood gushing over her paws. She and Stonepaw and the other Clan apprentices had put a stop to Bone, but Mosspaw hadn't survived.

And now she was here.

Mistyfoot was dumbfounded. "Mosspaw," she repeated. "How…?"

Mosspaw touched her nose to Mistyfoot's to stop her from speaking. The touch was cold like ice, but warm like kithood. Mistyfoot closed her jaws and let Mosspaw's scent wreathe around her like a comforting blanket of moss.

"I'm so sorry, Mistyfoot," Mosspaw murmured. "For everything that has happened, and everything that will happen. Remember that StarClan is watching over you – that _I_ am watching over you."

Mistyfoot felt too choked up to speak. She blinked gratefully at Mosspaw.

"I have a message for you, my sister," Mosspaw mewed. Her eyes changed, then, sparkling with a light that Mistyfoot had no name for as she spoke in a voice that seemed not her own: _"Shadow, Wind, River, and Thunder must join together, for the forest shakes to its roots."_

Mistyfoot trembled as the words washed over her, her fur pricking ominously. "W-What?" she sputtered. "I'm no medicine cat, Mosspaw – what does this mean?"

Mosspaw did not answer her. Instead, she meowed, "Meet at midnight near the Great Rock on the new moon. Your journey will begin there."

Mistyfoot opened her mouth to protest, but the world began to fade. The ground beneath her paws seemed uncertain and shaky, and Mistyfoot dug her claws into the earth even as it began to fall out from beneath her.

As she fell into darkness, she could hear Mosspaw's voice: "_I am watching over you, sister."_

* * *

"Mistyfoot? Mistyfoot, wake up!"

Mistyfoot's eyes flew open, and her world thrust itself back onto the ground. She was lying in her mossy nest in the warrior's den, the heat of the day already thick in her fur. Her body couldn't seem to move – the shock of the dream had locked her limbs and she stared up at Mousefur, dumbstruck.

Mousefur looked back, eyes wide. "Some dream you had, then?" she guessed.

Mistyfoot swallowed, rasping, "I… I guess so." She tried to recall it all, but the details slipped away from her like fish in the river. _I remember… scenting… moss?_

"Come on," Mousefur mewed, sounding a little impatient. "We're needed on a patrol."

Mistyfoot blinked in the sunlight. "Of course."

She got to her paws and followed Mousefur out of the den – and the grief and guilt hit her like the rays of the sun. She could feel eyes on her as she followed Mousefur across the clearing. What were they saying? Mistyfoot couldn't meet any cat's eye, let alone Cinderpelt and Dustpelt, who were sharing a thrush together on the other side of the clearing.

They paused by the apprentice's den. "I'll fetch Spiderpaw," Mousefur mewed.

Mistyfoot watched her put her head into the apprentice's den, feeling a pang of sorrow. _I should be bringing Shrewpaw,_ she thought glumly.

Mousefur was out of the den quickly, with Spiderpaw loping after her. "Let's go," Mousefur mewed, "before the heat burns our fur off."

Mistyfoot nodded. Mousefur stared at her a moment – _probably thinking I'm incompetent_ – before leading the way to the gorse tunnel. Spiderpaw, tail up, padded alongside her mentor. Mistyfoot followed behind, trying not to let her tail drag on the ground.

Mistyfoot wondered about her dream, and thought of how much she wanted to return to it, instead of this hot, miserable, waking reality.

* * *

The heat did not improve as the patrol made their way towards Fourtrees. Mistyfoot longed for shorter fur, feeling like her paws were twice as heavy. _It's a good thing we aren't hunting,_ she thought.

"I'm thirsty," complained Spiderpaw.

"Hush," Mousefur mewed simply.

Spiderpaw closed her jaws and sighed, dropping behind the warriors with her tail dragging in the dirt.

Mousefur padded closer to Mistyfoot. "How are you doing?" she asked quietly.

Mistyfoot felt her pelt prickle. "I'm fine," she insisted.

"Don't give me that," Mousefur groaned, rolling her eyes. "I lost Thornpaw seasons ago, he was my first apprentice. I get what you're dealing with."

Mistyfoot frowned, choosing to stay silent and resisting the urge to point out that her mother, Bluestar, had been responsible for Thornpaw's death.

"If you want to talk, I'm here," Mousefur went on. Her eyes were surprisingly gentle. "I think you need to deal with this before it consumes you – losing Shrewpaw wasn't your fault."

"So everyone says," Mistyfoot rasped. She was acutely aware of Spiderpaw just behind them, of how the young she-cat must hate her for what happened to her brother. "But how come it feels like I could have stopped it?"

Mousefur sighed. "When Thornpaw and Runningwind died I wondered what might have happened if I'd stayed with them, instead of running away for help – and when their deaths were still raw, I blamed myself for being a coward. Now, though, thinking back, I know that staying would have gotten me killed, too."

Mistyfoot's mouth felt dry. All she could do was listen to Mousefur open up, and feel both overwhelmed and grateful that the prickly senior warrior was doing so at all.

"It's still raw for you," Mousefur told her. There was a streak of pain in her eye as she looked at Mistyfoot. "But when you look back, all you can see is that you did what you had to do in the situation you were in at the time."

Mistyfoot looked down at her paws.

"Oh, say something, will you?" muttered Mousefur. "I don't exactly dole out advice often!"

"Thank you," Mistyfoot offered quickly. "Sorry."

Mousefur's whiskers twitched. "It's all right, youngster."

They reached Fourtrees, and Mistyfoot felt just a little lighter than before. Though Mousefur's advice had trouble settling in her heart, she was grateful that the older warrior didn't see her has incompetent. There was a certain privilege to feeling like Mistyfoot could call Mousefur a friend, especially when not many others in ThunderClan did.

"Wow," Spiderpaw breathed, looking up at the great oaks. "I still can't get over how _huge_ they are! I wish I were going to the Gathering…"

"Next time, maybe," Mistyfoot mewed.

"Tell me what you smell," Mousefur grunted. "And stop gabbing – this isn't a peaceful place until tomorrow night."

Spiderpaw nodded her head rapidly and opened her jaws. Her tail flicked back and forth as she tasted the air, and Mistyfoot wondered if any part of this she-cat could stay still.

"I smell WindClan," she mewed.

"Makes sense," Mousefur agreed. "The wind's blowing in from their territory."

Mistyfoot frowned. She opened her own jaws, and was assaulted by the heathery, peaty scent of the moor. Grimacing, she pointed out, "It's stronger than it usually is, though."

Mousefur flicked an ear. "All right, let's investigate. Stay low and quiet."

The three cats backed away from the open clearing and into the undergrowth, where their pelts would blend better with the shadows. They dropped low, stalking through the ferns and bracken, making their way around the edge of the clearing.

It was Spiderpaw who spotted him. Her gray head shot up, and her jaws opened to cry out – but Mousefur stuffed her tail into her apprentice's mouth instead, hissing for her to stay silent.

Mistyfoot peered ahead. A lean, young, gray-black tom was padding through the undergrowth, cursing as his paws tangled on thorns. A massive rabbit was in his jaws. The patrol watched him disappear into the moors, leaving a clumsy trail of broken undergrowth behind him.

"He's a WindClan cat!" hissed Spiderpaw the instant Mousefur pulled her tail out of her mouth. "We should be chasing him!"

"It wouldn't do much good," Mousefur pointed out. "He'd already caught that rabbit."

Mistyfoot bristled. "WindClan, trespassing? Stealing?" she breathed. "There's no way Tallstar would stand for that."

"It could be an honest mistake," Mousefur agreed, though her eyes sparked with annoyance. "Come on, we need to report this to Tinystar."

"Will he bring it up at the Gathering?" Spiderpaw wondered. "Will there be a fight?"

"Tinystar will bring it up, I'm sure," Mistyfoot agreed, "but a fight? I doubt it. Tinystar and Tallstar are good friends. It's likely he's a new apprentice and just mixed up his smells with the wind blowing so strongly."

"Wish that wind would make it here," groaned Spiderpaw.

"We can get a drink on our way back," Mousefur conceded. She raised her tail. "Come on, now."

* * *

"All right, I'm going to make my report to Tinystar," Mousefur decided. The patrol had returned, and they were standing in the sunny clearing. Mousefur looked to Spiderpaw. "Go see to the elders."

Spiderpaw nodded and rushed off towards the hollow log. Mistyfoot twitched her whiskers, amazed at how outwardly unaffected by things Spiderpaw seemed. When she looked back to tell Mousefur such, Mistyfoot found that the brown she-cat was already trotting across the clearing, towards the Highrock.

Mistyfoot was alone.

Immediately it felt like every eye in camp was on her, and Mistyfoot's stomach dropped. Anxiety crawled in her pelt like spiders. She looked for a safe spot to place herself, away from prying eyes, but there just didn't seem to be one – every cat in camp was huddled in the shade.

She froze, digging her claws into the earth. She could see Silverstream sharing tongues with Graystripe, and wondered what they were saying about her. She spotted Swiftfoot, Cloudtail, and Brightheart sharing a mouse with their daughter, Whitepaw, and wondered if the three were cautioning Whitepaw against spending time with Mistyfoot, the worst mentor in ThunderClan.

The conversations were so clear and distinct in her mind, she could see her Clanmate's mouths move and imagine their voices speaking those deep, inner insecurities. Her ears buzzed and her breathing quickened.

"H-Hey, Mistyfoot?"

Mistyfoot started, and the world shocked itself back to normal.

Nightpaw was staring up at her, his ice-blue eyes wide.

All at once, Mistyfoot was flung back to Snakerocks, to the badger's stink and the creature's snarling snout and snapping teeth. She could see blood spraying over the stones, and hear the thud of Shrewpaw's body deep in her ears and down to her heart.

She could see Nightpaw, cowering in a log.

The look in her eyes must have frightened Nightpaw. The small black tom took a step back, his tail trembling. "I-I'm sorry," he breathed. "I'm so… sorry."

Instantly a wave of guilt washed over Mistyfoot. How could she blame Nightpaw for what happened? Without Shrewpaw, he would have died, and how would any cat have known he'd been in danger? _And yet, if I hadn't let Shrewpaw go on his own…_

"It's okay," Mistyfoot managed, talking around the lump in her throat.

Nightpaw's eyes flashed with relief, and his tail lowered. "T-Thank you," he said, sounding almost… happy to hear it. Mistyfoot's heart ached. Nightpaw had blamed himself too… and from his perspective, how could he not? But it really wasn't his fault.

Dustpelt's voice came from across the clearing. Nightpaw's ear twitched. The small tom gave Mistyfoot's muzzle a brush, murmuring, "Thanks, really," into her fur before he pelted off to meet his mentor.

Mistyfoot felt both as if a weight had disappeared from her shoulders and like another had dropped into her heart. It wasn't Nightpaw's fault.

_It's still mine, though._

"You look… well," grunted a voice.

Mistyfoot stiffened, turning her gaze to see Ashfur sauntering up to her. His dappled gray pelt was almost orange in the sunlight. "What do you want?" she asked. "And why do you care?"

Ashfur shrugged. "Just wanted to remind you that a more experienced warrior wouldn't have let it happen."

Mistyfoot nearly lunged at him. She forced herself to stay still, digging her claws into the earth to stop herself. "Why do you even talk to me if this is all you have to say?" she hissed instead, curling her lip.

"You never deserved to have an apprentice." Ashfur turned his back. "And this is just proof. Maybe next time Tinystar will choose a warrior who's actually worthy."

Mistyfoot watched Ashfur walk away, fury mounting in her pelt. With the heat and humidity, Mistyfoot wondered how her pelt wasn't sparking with lightning at Ashfur's fox-heartedness. Instead she whipped around and stalked across the clearing, tail lashing as she headed for the elder's den.

She pushed her way through the honeysuckle and into the cool shade of the hollow log, her claws catching in the moss that Spiderpaw was busy replacing. Frostfur, Dappletail, and Speckletail were outside the den at the moment, chattering and gossiping in the shade like thrushes, their mews barely audible through the wall of the den. Longtail's nest smelled faintly of herbs – he was still getting treatment for an accident with a rabbit that blinded him last greenleaf.

Oakheart, however, was still inside. Mostly because he had to be – Brackenfur insisted that he move as little as possible now that his leg was healing. Oakheart's progress was good, but he wouldn't be walking – or running – any time soon.

Mistyfoot flopped down beside her father.

"Ashfur?" Oakheart guessed. "I saw him talking to you out there. He never wants to share prey, that's for sure."

Mistyfoot grunted in frustration.

"Don't pay attention to him," Oakheart insisted. He licked Mistyfoot between her ears. "He's never had anything good to say to you, not since you were apprentices."

Mistyfoot bristled. "But he's _right,_ Father – Tinystar shouldn't have given me an apprentice. I wasn't ready."

"You were," Oakheart mewed. "You _are._ You'll be a great mentor one day – but this was just very, very bad luck, Mistyfoot."

"One day?" Mistyfoot repeated bitterly. "Tinystar won't ever give me another apprentice, not after this."

Oakheart narrowed his eyes. "Tinystar isn't as foolish as that," he insisted. "He sees you for the warrior you are, Mistyfoot."

Mistyfoot's yearned to be away from the subject. She nestled close to her father and asked, "Do you ever miss Mosspaw?"

"Of course I do," Oakheart breathed. "Every day. Are you okay?"

Mistyfoot rested her head on her paws, closing her eyes. "I… I don't know, anymore," she admitted quietly. She stared into the wall of the elder's den until the bark seemed to twist and warp before her eyes.

"It feels like everything is falling apart." She whispered. "But… I think I had a dream about her."


	8. Chapter 6

**Chapter 6**

_Darkness shrouded the forest. The air_ was still and hot, with the faint crunch of pawsteps being the only sound. Mistyfoot dreaded how warm Fourtrees would be, and imagined a thunderstorm breaking the peaceful meeting in order to rain down its cooling water from the sky.

She followed her Clanmates along the trail to Fourtrees, tail low. Her Clanmates brushed past but none seemed to acknowledge her. Mistyfoot preferred that – this Gathering was going to be embarrassing enough as it was; she had no idea why Tinystar had invited her along.

He was at the head of the Clan, Sandstorm by his side. ThunderClan had a lot to announce this moon, Mistyfoot reflected, and her stomach churned. How would he announce Shrewpaw's death? Some small, scared part of her wondered if Tinystar had brought her along to point her out in the crowd and tell all the Clans what a failure she was.

Tinystar stopped at clump of ferns at the edge of the hollow. Mistyfoot could hear cats chatting down below, a low hum like a cicada in the forest. It sounded like every other Clan was there, and that ThunderClan might be late. _Maybe that means this will be a short Gathering._

Dustpelt pushed his way up the patrol to stand with Tinystar. The brown tabby tom grunted, "So what're you going to say tonight?"

Tinystar looked to the senior warrior. His ice-blue eyes flicked to Mistyfoot and for a moment she felt frozen – but only for a moment. "I will mention the badger," Tinystar meowed, "and what happened to Shrewpaw."

"And the WindClan trespasser?" asked Graystripe.

Tinystar nodded. "That too; but I want Tallstar to be able to defend himself. If it was an honest mistake by an unseasoned apprentice, then it's nothing to start a war over. This forest has known peace for seasons – I won't be the one to break that."

Graystripe nodded in approval, but Dustpelt's eyes flashed confrontationally. Whatever he said was lost to Mistyfoot's ears, which were ringing in panic. _He's going to tell them all about how much of a failure I am!_ She thought.

"Calm down," grunted a voice. Mousefur nudged Mistyfoot's shoulder with her muzzle. "He needs to tell the other Clans about that badger – it's killed cats before, and it's like to do it again. You know that."

Mistyfoot swallowed. She blinked gratefully at the she-cat. "Thank you," she murmured.

Mousefur gave a curt nod.

Tinystar raised his tail, and ThunderClan descended into the hollow. The great oaks of Fourtrees looked dry and thirsty overhead, and the grass was stiff, but the clearing was bustling with life. Mistyfoot kept to the back, not wanting to get swept up in the crowd immediately.

She spotted Ashfur padding off to talk to some WindClan cats, and decided pointedly to avoid that area of the Gathering like rats were swarming – Mistyfoot instead followed Graystripe and Silverstream as they headed for the RiverClan crowd.

"Mosspelt!" purred Silverstream. "There you are!"

Mistyfoot watched the once-RiverClan cat greet her old Clanmate as if no borders separated them. Mistyfoot was still mystified by Silverstream at times, but she was a great boon to the queens in the ThunderClan nursery, and with Graystripe by her side her loyalty was unquestionable.

Not wanting to intrude, Mistyfoot backed away before she was noticed. She found a quieter spot near the edge of the clearing and resolved herself to sit and wait out the Gathering in anonymity. Mousefur's reassurance helped, but she didn't want the other Clans to notice her anxieties.

StarClan had other plans.

"Mistyfoot!" A massive gray tom pushed his way through the crowd, his amber eyes sparkling and his pelt slick and shiny. Following him was a very lovely and long-furred silver tabby. "Long time no see!"

"Stormfur!" Mistyfoot breathed. "Feathertail!" She gave them a smile. Stormfur and Feathertail were Graystripe and Silverstream's kits – when the battle for BloodClan was won, the two had decided to stay in RiverClan, where their hearts belonged, despite their parents' decision to stay in ThunderClan. They both looked healthy and happy.

"What's wrong?" Feathertail wondered, her blue eyes wide. "You're far from friends out here."

Mistyfoot only shrugged. How could she explain? Forcing cheerfulness, she meowed, "Just wanted a moment before everything got hectic – what's going on with you two?"

"Not much," Stormfur admitted. "Want to sit with us?"

Mistyfoot swallowed. She looked between the two fluffy RiverClan warriors, both emanating their father's optimism. She couldn't say no. The two warriors immediately flanked her on either side, and Mistyfoot followed them to a spot nestled between ThunderClan and RiverClan warriors where they could watch the Gathering properly.

They sat just as Tinystar made the final bound onto the Great Rock. Tallstar, WindClan's leader, greeted him with a nod and raised his voice: "Let the Gathering begin!"

Silence flooded the clearing. Every cat turned their attention to Russetstar as she moved forward to make her announcement for ShadowClan: "Not much to report tonight – Twolegs are on our territory, but it hasn't affected our hunting or our patrols. Wolftooth and Cedarheart chased off a badger that made its way onto our territory – we won't be seeing it again thanks to them."

Cheers rose from the ShadowClan crowd: "Wolftooth! Cedarheart!"

Mistyfoot clenched her jaw. Tinystar had sent a warning to ShadowClan the morning after Shrewpaw's death. She knew deep down that the badger in Russetstar's report had to be the same one, even if Russetstar was too proud to mention it.

"Tallpoppy has moved into the nursery," Russetstar went on, "and Finchsong's kits were born without incident. ShadowClan is very glad to welcome our newest members."

Mistyfoot searched the crowd, wondering about the father of Finchsong's kits. Cedarheart had his head raised doubly so, grinning ear to ear, and another ShadowClan warrior gave him a playful nudge.

"That is all," Russetstar meowed curtly.

_As always with ShadowClan, you wonder if that's all they had to say,_ Mistyfoot wondered, watching Russetstar step back. The she-cat was leading ShadowClan well in the wake of its past disasters, but ShadowClan's secretiveness would never change, Mistyfoot guessed.

Tinystar stepped forward next. He nodded to Russetstar. "The badger your warriors chased away was responsible for the death of a warrior last greenleaf, and recently it took the life of one of our apprentices, Shrewpaw."

Russetstar frowned. "Then I'm glad it's gone," she decided.

Tinystar turned his attention to the crowd. "Not only that, but the badger injured Oakheart greatly. He has decided to retire. Sandstorm is now ThunderClan's deputy."

Murmurs of surprise rippled through the gathered Clans, but Mistyfoot saw many nodding heads. Sandstorm was a very popular choice, even among the other Clans. Her prowess was well known.

Stormfur bristled. "Sounds like a nasty creature," he mewed. "Is Oakheart going to be okay?"

Mistyfoot nodded. "He'll heal," she replied quietly. "But it was a reminder of his age." _For everyone._

Stormfur blinked at her sympathetically, and Feathertail's tail crossed Mistyfoot's. Mistyfoot accepted the gestures, though were they from any other cat she imagined she would feel uncomfortable about cats from other Clans showing such sympathy.

"Sandstorm! Sandstorm!" cheered the Clans all around. The pale ginger she-cat nodded to them all, settled firmly in her place with the other Clan deputies at the base of the Great Rock. Tawnypelt of RiverClan murmured something into her ear, and Sandstorm's long whiskers twitched in amusement.

Mistyfoot looked up at Tinystar. _He didn't mention that I was Shrewpaw's mentor,_ she thought, unsure how to feel. Was he omitting her involvement for a reason?

"ThunderClan has a new apprentice this moon, Spiderpaw," Tinystar went on. "Shrewpaw, her brother, was killed by the badger – he watches us tonight from StarClan. Sorrelpaw has earned her warrior name – Sorreltail sits with us tonight!"

"Spiderpaw! Shrewpaw!" the Clans yowled. "Sorreltail!"

Mistyfoot raised her voice, too, trying not to let the pain show through. Thankfully, she supposed that Stormfur or Feathertail would guess she was grieving same as any member of her Clan for the lost apprentice.

"Ferncloud and Snowstep's kits were born not long ago, and we welcome all three of them to the Clan," Tinystar meowed. "There's only one more thing from ThunderClan – Tallstar."

The long-tailed leader of WindClan raised his muzzle.

"One of our patrols caught a WindClan apprentice over our border, not far from here," Tinystar remarked. "He had a rabbit in his jaws."

Tallstar frowned. "I think I know of whom you speak," he said gravely. "He will be dealt with tonight."

Tinystar nodded. "Then that is all from ThunderClan."

Mistyfoot looked around the clearing, wondering if the apprentice was here. She didn't see them – but she did see Mudclaw looking rather annoyed at the foot of the Great Rock. Mistyfoot wondered why that was – _Mudclaw's one of those cats that's always annoyed by something. Maybe he just doesn't want to deal with punishing apprentices for something they ought to know?_

It was Tallstar who spoke next: "Like Russetstar, I must report that there are Twolegs on the moors as well. Their stomping feet and their monsters scare the rabbits, but their stay is temporary, no doubt. WindClan has always been able to survive on scant rabbits. However…"

The black-and-white tom turned his muzzle to RiverClan's leader, Leopardstar - who until now had seemed disinterested in the other Clans' reports. Tallstar's eyes shone with worry. He continued, "Leopardstar, WindClan cannot survive without water. This drought has dried up all the streams on our territory, and our only source for water now is the gorge."

"That is on RiverClan territory," Leopardstar reminded him.

Tallstar nodded. "I know; but I must ask it of you. Will you allow WindClan to drink from the gorge?"

Leopardstar's eyes narrowed on Tallstar, and the Gathering fell into a hush. Mistyfoot glanced at Stormfur and Feathertail, but neither gave much away. Some RiverClan cats muttered to themselves, and an apprentice was hushed when they complained about WindClan stink in the water.

The silence seemed to stretch. Mistyfoot frowned up at Leopardstar, knowing that the proud leader was doubtless enjoying hearing another Clan grovel to her. Mistyfoot's fur pricked with annoyance.

Leopardstar, finally, answered, "WindClan may drink from the gorge," she said in a clipped tone, "but only at sunrise and sundown – and RiverClan warriors will be present to ensure no prey is stolen."

Tallstar's eyes flashed. Clearly he was annoyed at the idea of his Clan having to be watched while drinking, of all things, but he could only dip his head. "Thank you," he meowed. "WindClan will not forget your generosity."

Leopardstar only tilted her head in reply.

Mistyfoot glanced at Stormfur. "Does she really think WindClan would steal prey?" she wondered.

Stormfur frowned. "I don't think so," he admitted. "WindClan doesn't want fish, they want water."

"Yes, but…" Feathertail drew her tail close to herself. "The drought is affecting all of us. No Clan should go thirsty but… what if it affects the river?"

Mistyfoot stiffened. When all the streams in the Clan territories were gone, all that would be left was the river. Leopardstar doubtless had some pride over holding that particular resource, but Feathertail was right - what would happen if the river dried to nothing, too?

"I suppose it is my turn, then," Leopardstar decided, rising to her paws. The moonlight shone on her dappled pelt. "RiverClan has little news – two of our apprentices, Falconpaw and Mothpaw, have become warriors. They are known now as Falcontail and Mothwing."

"Falcontail! Mothwing!" cheered the Clans.

Leopardstar's gaze traveled across the clearing. When the cheers died down, she announced, "Mothwing has decided to pursue training under Mudfur – she is now RiverClan's medicine cat apprentice."

Mistyfoot's ears pricked. "When was the last time a warrior became a medicine cat?" she wondered. The last she could think of was Yellowfang, ThunderClan and ShadowClan's former medicine cat – but Yellowfang had been seasons upon seasons old.

Stormfur shrugged. "It's not common, but Mudfur did it, back in the day. Mothwing says she had a sign from StarClan, too."

"Wow."

"Well," Stormfur went on, "they _are_ Leopardstar's kits, too. They're so spoiled – Mothwing wanted nothing but warriorhood before her ceremony, but just the day after she was begging to be a medicine cat!"

Mistyfoot shook her head and sighed. Inwardly she was grateful that Tinystar didn't seem to spoil his kits so readily.

Beside her, Feathertail stiffened. The silver she-cat looked down at her paws and muttered, "Excuse me," before standing and heading off into the crowd. She settled down beside Graystripe and Silverstream, who greeted her with muted purrs when she sat down.

Confused, Mistyfoot glanced at Stormfur. The big gray tom only shrugged, his amber eyes sparking. "Don't worry about it," he assured. "She's fine."

Mistyfoot blinked, shaking it off. She craned her neck, trying to spot the new RiverClan warriors. She saw a lovely-looking spotted tabby beside Mudfur, but there was no sign of Falcontail. Mistyfoot was taken aback at the beauty of the she-cat, whose round face complimented her thick, dappled coat well.

"Only Mothwing came tonight," Stormfur pointed out. "I'm sure you'll see Falcontail on patrol before long."

Mistyfoot twitched her whiskers in acknowledgement.

The Gathering began to wind down as Leopardstar closed off her speech. Cats began to settle down to share tongues – though the night was warm, the moon was still high and shining strong. There was no reason to leave immediately.

"Thank you for sitting with me," Mistyfoot meowed, looking to Stormfur.

Stormfur's whiskers twitched. "Why wouldn't I?" he purred. He touched his nose to her ear, his breath warm against her fur. "I'm always happy to hang out with you, Mistyfoot. Don't make it a whole moon again, okay?"

Mistyfoot blinked in shock at him as he sauntered over to his family. Her ear tingled where the RiverClan warrior had touched it, and Mistyfoot felt slightly dizzy. She sank her claws into the earth, trying to steady herself.

"That one's always been too free with his feelings," rasped a familiar voice. "Like his father."

Mistyfoot jumped. "Stoneheart!" she purred, turning to find her brother standing beside her. She pushed him affectionately with a forepaw. Her fur felt hot. "Don't _do_ that!"

Stoneheart's whiskers twitched, and his eyes sparkled with amusement. Mistyfoot touched her nose to his, overwhelmed with longing to curl up beside her brother, like when they were apprentices. But Stoneheart had chosen ShadowClan, and ShadowClan was where his heart lay.

"Stormfur was just being friendly," Mistyfoot insisted.

Stoneheart only scoffed, but he didn't pry. "How's Oakheart?" he asked, eyes flashing with concern for their father.

"He'll be okay," Mistyfoot told him. "I just wish it hadn't been a badger that put him in the elder's den." She suddenly wanted more than anything to talk to Stoneheart about Shrewpaw, but the words caught in her throat. Talking with Stormfur had made her feel better than she had in a while – there was no reason to ruin the mood tonight.

"He's so stubborn, like Mosspaw was," Stoneheart sighed. "But I'm glad he's finally an elder."

_Mosspaw…_ Mistyfoot blinked at her brother. "Do you ever… think about Mosspaw?" she asked.

Stoneheart's expression shifted, his jaws clenching. "O-Of course," he muttered. "I… I dreamed of her, a few nights ago."

Stunned, Mistyfoot leaned forward and asked, earnestly, "What was it about?"

Stoneheart looked at her, and in his eyes Mistyfoot could see her own wide-eyed expression. The entire crowd seemed to melt away – it was only Mistyfoot and Stoneheart, and this dream of their dear sister.

"I was dreaming I was in ShadowClan territory, and she appeared. She… she said something about the Clans coming together at midnight," Stoneheart explained, his tone hushed – but it was all Mistyfoot could hear. "She said something was happening to the forest."

Stoneheart's words made the dream rush back into Mistyfoot's head like a blow. "That's what she said to me, too," Mistyfoot whispered. "We…"

"We had the same dream," Stoneheart finished.

"That has to mean something," Mistyfoot insisted.

Stoneheart's ear flicked. "Well… what do you want to do?"

Mistyfoot swallowed, striving to remember every detail of the dream. "She said to meet here at midnight on the new moon," she recalled. "Do you think we should do that?"

Stoneheart frowned. "If we get caught…"

"It's _Mosspaw,_ Stoneheart," Mistyfoot insisted. Her heart was beating in her ears. "She was a medicine cat – she wouldn't just appear in _both_ of our dreams! If this wasn't important our dreams wouldn't have been the _same!"_

Stoneheart looked uncertain, still. But he conceded, "All right. It can't hurt. Midnight, then. At the new moon."


	9. Chapter 7

**There likely won't be an update next week due to holidays! Enjoy your Thanksgiving, or whatever you celebrate!**

* * *

**Chapter 7**

_Mistyfoot opened her eyes, feeling hot_ and exhausted.

_Another nightmare,_ she thought blearily, forcing herself to groom out her tangled fur. Since the Gathering a quarter moon ago her dreams had been filled with uncertainty – from the earth churning to mud beneath her paws to the forest turning into a barren wasteland before her eyes, devoid of life and trees. Mistyfoot's nose twitched. She couldn't seem to get the sharp smell of the decimation out of her nose.

She hoped the dreams had nothing to do with Mosspaw's ominous message. But the fact that Mosspaw had appeared to Stoneheart to deliver the same message made Mistyfoot doubt that they were nothing. It had to be connected.

Mistyfoot got to her paws. No use worrying over an empty stomach. She pushed her way out of the warrior's den and into the wall of heat that awaited her. The sun had barely crested the treeline and the cicadas were already screaming. Mistyfoot's ears twitched in annoyance.

_Should I tell Brackenfur about my dreams?_ She wondered as she padded over to the fresh-kill pile. It felt woefully low despite the season. This heatwave was starting to drive prey to seek what coolness they could in the shelter of their dens. She looked over her options – a shrew and an old vole – as she pondered. _I don't think he'd believe me. I'm just a warrior._

_But Mosspaw came to me, and came to Stoneheart, too. There's no harm in figuring out whether it means something._ If the meeting with Stoneheart tonight bore any fruit, then Mistyfoot figured she would tell Brackenfur about it. _If I don't get my ears chewed off for meeting another Clan's warrior, that is._

It did worry her, bending the warrior code for this meeting. But, Mistyfoot figured, Tinystar had bent and broken the warrior code on hunches before. He was Clan leader now, and one of the greatest heroes of the forest – there was definitely something to be gained in following a hunch.

"Mistyfoot, are you going to stare at the pile all morning?" Sandstorm's sharp voice cut through Mistyfoot's thoughts, making her jump. The pale ginger she-cat was sitting in the shade of the Highrock with Tinystar and Dustpelt. "How about you come over here and get your day's assignment – then you can wonder whether the sun will cook your prey for you."

Embarrassed, Mistyfoot padded over to the deputy. It was still strange waking up and taking orders from Sandstorm – Oakheart had been deputy for almost Mistyfoot's entire life. She still couldn't believe he was sunning himself outside the elder's den now that his wounds were all but healed, lazily sharing tongues with Frostfur about the good old days.

Dustpelt gave her a sharp look as Mistyfoot approached. It wasn't full of malice – just Dustpelt's regular irritation with everything that was not meeting his exact specifications – but Mistyfoot couldn't help but feel like there was a little there.

"What did you want me to do?" Mistyfoot asked, focusing instead on Sandstorm and not the father of her dead apprentice.

"I was wondering if you'd like to lead a patrol near ShadowClan," Sandstorm meowed.

Mistyfoot's ears pricked. "Why?" she asked.

Sandstorm frowned, and it was Tinystar who spoke up: "ShadowClan has been silent about the drought's affect on them. Russetstar is a proud cat but I wonder if she isn't hiding something. This heat is just as likely to dry out ShadowClan's marshes as it did WindClan's streams – she might get ideas to cross into RiverClan territory."

Mistyfoot frowned. "I don't think ShadowClan would do that, though – isn't the possible threat here WindClan? They've already stolen prey from us."

"Tallstar vowed not to let that happen again, though! He's our friend!" insisted a smaller voice.

All four warriors turned their eyes to the small black tom huddled in the deepest shadows of the Highrock. With all their eyes on him, Nightpaw blinked in embarrassment and closed his jaws.

Dustpelt rolled his eyes. "Get out here, Nightpaw. You might as well join the discussion since you were so eager to listen." His tone was dripping with annoyance at his apprentice.

Nightpaw padded over to the group, eyes flashing apologetically at his parents and his mentor. He sat down beside Dustpelt, curling his tail over his paws. "My point still stands," he mumbled.

"It's a fair one," Dustpelt agreed, "but Tallstar clearly had no idea what his apprentices were up to – it's just as likely he has no idea what his warriors are doing, either. He's getting old."

"All cats are likely to get desperate with this heat wave lasting so long; it's driving off prey," Sandstorm pointed out. "All the more reason to be cautious of every Clan – at least until rain comes."

Inwardly, Mistyfoot was glad that ThunderClan held Sunningrocks, which bordered the river. There would be water for ThunderClan for a while yet, even if all their streams were nothing but mud.

Tinystar heaved a sigh. "Very well," he decided. "Mistyfoot – take Dustpelt and Nightpaw with you and look in on the RiverClan and WindClan situation. Sandstorm, find a patrol to head along the ShadowClan side – make sure they check the Thunderpath tunnel, and that they mark it. That's still our territory."

Sandstorm nodded.

Tinystar's eyes rested on Mistyfoot, and she felt unsettled looking down at her leader. "Good luck," he meowed.

_I can't tell what he's thinking,_ she thought worriedly. Her first apprentice ended in disaster, and now this? _Is he testing me?_

* * *

Mistyfoot twitched her whiskers. She and Nightpaw were devouring a vole – sighted and caught by Nightpaw – before the patrol moved on. They were close to the RiverClan border now, and Dustpelt, who had refused the meal, was keeping watch for RiverClan patrols while Mistyfoot and Nightpaw quickly devoured the fresh-kill.

"Why did you eavesdrop?" Mistyfoot asked quietly, feeling the sun heat her shoulders.

Nightpaw swallowed a bit of meat, his ice-blue eyes flashing. "Just because I'm an apprentice or Tinystar's son doesn't mean I like being kept out of things."

"Shoving yourself into important conversations isn't a great way to earn respect," Mistyfoot pointed out.

Nightpaw frowned.

"Hurry up, you two!" hissed Dustpelt.

Mistyfoot's pelt prickled. She quickly licked her muzzle clean of vole while Nightpaw buried the remains of his catch in the leaf-litter. The two padded up to join Dustpelt where he stood.

They could see the river between the trees, and hear its trickle as it ran through the forest. Reeds brushed against one another quietly. Mistyfoot looked out over the water and scented the faint fishy tang of RiverClan.

"What do you smell?" Dustpelt asked, looking down at Nightpaw.

Nightpaw's tail curled. "Aside from vole? RiverClan – with a hint of WindClan."

Mistyfoot sniffed again. _Did he inherit Cloudtail's nose somehow?_ She wondered. On a second sniff Mistyfoot could smell the very faint, heathery scent of WindClan. RiverClan's scent was a much more pungent, oily odor.

"Good," Dustpelt praised. "WindClan's patrol ought to be gone by now."

Mistyfoot took that as her cue to lead the patrol down the slope and towards the border. This was the first patrol she had led since Shrewpaw's death, and she didn't want to take too many chances to screw this up too. She kept them a tail-length from the border and let Dustpelt renew the markings as they went.

"That's odd," Nightpaw remarked. "Why is the WindClan scent still strong? You said they'd be gone, Dustpelt."

Mistyfoot opened her jaws to scent the air. "He's right," she mewed, looking back at Dustpelt. "WindClan's scent is still very strong around here."

"In _our_ territory?" Dustpelt's ears flattened with frustration. "StarClan save me from flea-brained warriors!"

A rustle in the ferns ahead made Mistyfoot's tail lash, giving the order to duck in pawspeak. The three cats flattened their bellies to the earth as three WindClan warriors blundered out of the ferns, clearly heading for their border and paying little mind to who might be watching.

"They have prey," hissed Nightpaw, his eyes wide.

Mistyfoot narrowed her eyes and spotted it – a water vole, dangling from the mouth of a nearly-black apprentice…

_It's _him_ again!_ She thought. _The apprentice that stole that rabbit before the last Gathering!_ Frustration pricked her pelt. Didn't Tallstar tell him off?

"Halt!" called Dustpelt, rising to his full height.

The WindClan cats stiffened, and then turned. Mistyfoot, as she stood, recognized Mudclaw, WindClan's deputy – but what made her heart sink more was seeing Onewhisker among the patrol. Onewhisker had been a good friend to both Tinystar and ThunderClan for seasons. _Why is he, of all cats, stealing prey?_

"Didn't you think we might catch you again?" Dustpelt growled, prowling forward, "Seeing as how you weren't so stealthy last time?"

Mistyfoot flicked her tail as she padded ahead, standing shoulder-to-shoulder with the senior warrior. Nightpaw bounded up on Dustpelt's other side. Nightpaw curled his lip at the WindClan apprentice, who lashed his long, thin tail. _We're evenly matched, down to the apprentices,_ Mistyfoot thought.

"It's none of your business, bramble-brain," hissed Mudclaw.

Onewhisker's whiskers twitched. "It-It's not what you think," he meowed quickly. "It's RiverClan's vole, not ThunderClan's."

Mistyfoot frowned. "That doesn't stop this from being stealing," she retorted. "Not to mention trespassing."

Around his vole, the black apprentice hissed, "RiverClan doesn't even _eat_ voles."

Nightpaw's shoulders bristled. "Neither does WindClan!" he snapped back.

"Hush, Crowpaw," snapped Onewhisker. His eyes narrowed down at the gray-black apprentice. Crowpaw lashed his tail again in response.

"And that doesn't matter, anyway," Nightpaw went on. "This is still stealing, which is against the warrior code!" He frowned at Crowpaw. "Does WindClan not teach the warrior code to their apprentices? This is the second time he's been caught with stolen prey!"

Crowpaw let out a screech of fury and, before any cat could react, he dropped the vole and launched himself at Nightpaw. The two black toms went down into the undergrowth in a flurry of claws.

"Nightpaw!" snapped Dustpelt. "Stop this at once!"

Onewhisker snarled, "Are you bee-brained, Crowpaw?"

Panic shot through Mistyfoot. A badger roared in the depths of her ears. Nightpaw cowered in terror in her mind's eye as a black-and-white face bore down on him. Before she could really tell what was happening, Mistyfoot lunged forward and sank her teeth into Crowpaw's scruff.

She hauled him off of Nightpaw and threw him to the side, into a clump of bracken. Mistyfoot's tail bristled and she hissed at the apprentice as he pushed himself to his paws. Behind her, Nightpaw huddled, eyes wide.

Crowpaw hissed back, claws unsheathed. Mistyfoot sank her claws into the earth. _If he thinks I'm going to watch an apprentice die—_

"Enough!" Onewhisker snapped. The pale brown tom padded up to Crowpaw and cuffed him over the ear with a paw. Crowpaw flinched, his stance softening. "That's enough!"

"It certainly is," Dustpelt growled.

Mistyfoot did not relax her spine until Onewhisker had led Crowpaw back to Mudclaw. The WindClan deputy snapped something into Crowpaw's ear that made the dark gray tom look down at his paws.

Onewhisker turned to the ThunderClan cats. "Dustpelt, I'm _so_ sorry-"

"Save it," Dustpelt snapped back. "This is between RiverClan and WindClan – but if you drag it through ThunderClan territory again, pretty words at a Gathering won't be Tinystar's only reprimand."

Onewhisker's eyes sparkled apologetically. His head hung low as he flicked his tail at his Clanmates. They gathered themselves up – Crowpaw spitefully grabbing the vole – and headed off towards the WindClan border.

Mistyfoot watched them go, panic and anger fading from her pelt. She could see ribs subtly poking through the WindClan cat's fur. _The heat is affecting them more than Tallstar would admit. No wonder they're stealing,_ she thought. Her heart pricked with some sympathy. _StarClan, why did I have to be right?_

* * *

The rest of the day crawled by like a beetle. Mistyfoot had done her best to put the day's happenings behind her as she watched the sun set over the trees and witnessed the sky turn a moonless black. Stars dappled the night sky like a speckled pelt.

It was time.

Mistyfoot found it easy to sneak out of camp. She'd made sure to eat before sleeping, knowing that it could easily be used as an excuse to head for the dirtplace. There was a little patch of wall there that was weaker than the rest, where a cat could squeeze through.

Thankfully the humidity made her pelt stick to her body – she left no trace but scent, which no cat was like to care for in the dirtplace.

As she padded towards Fourtrees, setting her paws off of ThunderClan's usual trails, she thought of the meeting ahead. Her heart thumped in her ears. Meeting with Stoneheart was bad enough, but what if there really _was_ something horrible about to happen to the Clans? Her dreams had not stopped, and Mosspaw's voice echoed her prophetic words as the whole world seemed to end.

Mistyfoot bounded over a fallen log. _Who are the other cats?_ She wondered. _Would they even come? Are there even other cats?_ Her mind was a whirl of speculation.

Fourtrees loomed just ahead. Mistyfoot opened her jaws, but could not scent any other cat there from this distance. She ducked under some low-hanging ferns and plunged into the hollow, finding it empty of cats.

Panic made her heart flutter. Stoneheart wasn't here. Was he even coming? Did he decide his sister was foolish, and their dreams just that, dreams?

A twig snapped behind her.

Mistyfoot whirled around, claws unsheathed. "Who's there?" she snapped. "Show yourself!"

Immediately her mind began to spin out excuses. _I just wanted to walk,_ she thought, _the heat was getting to me so I thought I'd stretch my legs – no harm! Not meeting cats from other Clans here, no way…_

A cat emerged from the undergrowth, their fur so black it was as if the night had stepped out to meet her. For a moment Mistyfoot stared at the small dark shape and swallowed, knowing deep down it had to be Tinystar – but she spotted their white nose and blinked in surprise.

"_Nightpaw?"_


	10. Chapter 8

**Chapter 8**

"_Nightpaw, what are you doing here?"_ Mistyfoot hissed, narrowing her eyes at the small black tom.

Nightpaw did not cower – his spine stiffened, and he snapped back, "What are _you_ doing here? Why did you sneak out of camp? Who are you meeting?"

Mistyfoot's tail lashed impatiently. _I don't have time for this!_ She thought.

"Don't bother to deny it," Nightpaw went on. "I saw you go into the dirtplace and not come out. What's going on, Mistyfoot?"

"It's none of your business," Mistyfoot pointed out.

"It is if it endangers ThunderClan!" countered Nightpaw.

"What's going on?" demanded a voice. "Mistyfoot, I thought it would just be us."

Mistyfoot turned and saw Stoneheart padding out from the woods, his blue eyes narrowed at Nightpaw. The big gray tom flicked a pine needle from his ear.

Nightpaw bristled. Before he could snap at Stoneheart, Mistyfoot pointed out, "See? Just here to meet my _brother –_ there's nothing wrong with that, is there?"

"He's a ShadowClan cat," Nightpaw muttered back, his claws flexing. His eyes were trained on Stoneheart as the bigger warrior padded up to Mistyfoot's side. "Brother or not."

"How many other ThunderClan cats know?" Stoneheart asked, looking past Mistyfoot to ThunderClan's side of the clearing.

Mistyfoot bristled. She snapped, "No one knew at all – he _followed_ me! It's not like I encouraged him, Stoneheart!"

Stoneheart's eyes flashed.

Bushes at the other end of the clearing rustled. A fluffy silver tabby padded through them, followed by a big dark gray tom – Stormfur and Feathertail. Mistyfoot and Stoneheart stiffened in shock, and Nightpaw hissed.

"Well," Stormfur mewed, his amber eyes sparkling, "this isn't how I thought tonight would go."

Feathertail's eyes shone with relief, like the river in the sunshine. "Oh, thank StarClan!" she breathed, rushing up to Stoneheart and Mistyfoot. "I'm _not_ crazy! I'm not the only one!"

Nightpaw's whiskers twitched. "What is going on?" he demanded, sounding more perplexed than hostile now.

Feathertail's eyes shone. "I had a dream!" she said earnestly, whirling to look at Nightpaw. "Brambleclaw – that's RiverClan's old deputy – came to me and asked me to meet other cats here at the new moon – and look, here we are!"

Mistyfoot blinked at the RiverClan she-cat – she had a dream? _Then this really is real._

Feathertail looked to Stoneheart. "You had the dream, too?"

Stoneheart could only nod – he seemed just as stunned as Mistyfoot.

"Then which one of you had the dream from ThunderClan?" Stormfur asked, looking at Mistyfoot and Nightpaw.

Mistyfoot avoided his gaze. "Me," she replied.

Feathertail's eyes shone. "Oh, wow!" she purred.

_Isn't she at all worried about what that means?_ Mistyfoot wondered. _Mosspaw promised some sort of horrible event for us, and she's just bouncing around like a kit out of the nursery for the first time!_ The urge to chastise Feathertail was quashed when she met Stormfur's gaze and found him to be just as happy to see her, if not more. Mistyfoot locked her gaze on her paws.

"Wait, what?" Nightpaw sputtered. "So… you all had a dream?"

"I didn't," Stormfur pointed out. "But those three did."

Stoneheart sighed, resigned to Nightpaw's involvement. "Cats from StarClan came to us and asked us to meet here," he meowed. _"Shadow, Wind, River, and Thunder must join together, for the forest shakes to its roots_ – that's what they said."

Nightpaw's eyes went wide. "Wow," he breathed. "But… I only see three of you here. Where's the fourth?"

"Oh, _great,"_ groaned a voice. "It's _you."_

The gathered cats looked to the WindClan slope and saw a long-legged, gray-black shape standing there. His blue eyes were narrowed on Mistyfoot and Nightpaw, his tail-tip twitching with irritation.

"Crowpaw?" Mistyfoot mewed quizzically.

"Who else?" snapped the WindClan tom. "Seems like StarClan hates me, sending me out here in the middle of the night to meet with _you_, of all cats."

Mistyfoot glanced at Nightpaw, who looked just as confused. Why would StarClan choose the misbehaving WindClan apprentice – or an apprentice in general – for something like this? _Maybe they just want a thorn in our side…_

"Who came to you?" Feathertail asked, eyes wide. She was clearly oblivious to any tensions between Crowpaw and the ThunderClan cats. "What was your dream like?"

Crowpaw bristled, taking an extra step away from the group. His narrow muzzle was curled into a disgruntled snarl. "None of your business!"

"I think it is, now," Stoneheart remarked. "If you're a chosen cat."

"Mosspaw, our sister, came to us," Mistyfoot added, gesturing between her and Stoneheart with her tail. Perhaps revealing their own visitor would put the apprentice at ease.

It didn't seem to – but then again, Mistyfoot wondered if Crowpaw had been born with a stick for a spine. The gray-black tom muttered, refusing to look at any of them, "Deadfoot came to me. Said to meet a bunch of cats at midnight."

"That's wonderful!" purred Feathertail. "Mistyfoot, Stoneheart, and I had that dream, too!"

"Then what's with the entourage?" Crowpaw snapped, glaring at Stormfur and Nightpaw.

Stormfur padded up to stand squarely beside Feathertail. "I was the only one she told," he meowed. "So I decided I'd come with her, in case this meeting wasn't the friendly kind."

"He followed me," Mistyfoot sighed, flicking her tail at Nightpaw. The apprentice looked put-out, and Mistyfoot felt badly for how she had put things. "He's involved now," she added. "No point in keeping him out."

Crowpaw's lip curled. That, Mistyfoot expected – but what she didn't expect was the worried flash in Stoneheart's eyes. Her brother had clearly become just as prickly as any ShadowClan cat if he was so begrudging now, and that made Mistyfoot sad.

"What happens now?" Crowpaw asked.

Feathertail blinked. "I… have no idea," she admitted, for once not sounding excited.

"I've had no other dreams," Stoneheart pointed out.

Mistyfoot frowned. "I haven't, either," she meowed. Was that a lie? "At least, none where Mosspaw came to me again."

All around eyes flashed with doubt. Was this really all for nothing? _My other dreams… were they just dreams?_ Mistyfoot wondered. _Did they mean nothing? Was our message just a coincidence?_

"If StarClan said something important to you, then it's not nothing," Nightpaw insisted, raising his tail. "Shadepaw told me that StarClan does things in funny ways sometimes. Maybe they just wanted you all to meet tonight, and that's all?"

Stormfur looked thoughtful. "Maybe," he mewed. "You've all met one another, now. Perhaps a new sign will come?"

Crowpaw frowned. "Doubt it," he grunted. "Why talk to us, and not a medicine cat or a leader?"

Mistyfoot grimaced. "He has a point," she admitted.

Feathertail's tail lashed. "T-Then there must be something that only _we_ can do!" she insisted, eyes wide and desperate. "Why else would we each have had identical dreams?"

Crowpaw curled his lip. "Because we're going bee-brained?"

Nightpaw hissed, "You're not helping!"

Mistyfoot looked down at Nightpaw in surprise. There was a spark in his eye that Mistyfoot had never seen before. _Is he… actually _excited_ about this now?_

"Then I suppose the most we can do is wait," Stoneheart sighed. He sat down on his haunches. "Maybe StarClan will send us a sign tonight?"

"It can't hurt to give it a few more minutes," Feathertail agreed.

Mistyfoot sat, curling her tail around her paws. She looked up at the starry sky, at the blank blackness where the moon was hidden. Did StarClan really have another message for them tonight?

But moments stretched into eternity, and nothing came.

"Well, this was a fun waste of time," scowled Crowpaw, getting to his paws. "I have a hunting patrol at dawn. Thanks for nothing."

Before any cat could protest, the WindClan cat loped up the slope and into the darkness.

Feathertail looked cross, but Stormfur touched his muzzle to her shoulder. She sighed. "We should go, too," she admitted. She looked to Mistyfoot and Stoneheart. "Don't give up! There might be another message, so keep your eyes open!"

Mistyfoot glanced at Stoneheart, and the two nodded in agreement. _It can't be for nothing,_ she insisted.

"We'll pass a message to Crowpaw if something does come," Stormfur promised. He waved his tail at the others. "See ya."

The two RiverClan cats left, shoulder to shoulder as they pushed through the undergrowth.

Stoneheart sighed. "Was this all a waste of time?" he wondered.

Mistyfoot frowned. "I don't know," she admitted, "but I don't think so. Something is happening – can't you feel it?"

Stoneheart's eyes flashed. He nodded, silently, and touched his nose to Mistyfoot's. "I'll let you know if I see anything else," he promised, before padding back towards ShadowClan. Within moments he was gone.

Mistyfoot sighed, looking down at her paws.

"Should we tell Shadepaw?" Nightpaw wondered.

Mistyfoot, feeling irritation returning, muttered, "Enough cats know already."

Nightpaw frowned. "I'm sorry," he meowed. "I want to help, Mistyfoot. Please… don't leave me out of this."

Mistyfoot blinked at the apprentice. He looked so earnest, so excited… and she could only imagine how devastated he'd be if he were left behind. _He could go right to Tinystar and rat us all out if he wanted, _she thought. _But… I don't think he will… and I don't need more trouble on my shoulders._

"Alright," Mistyfoot promised. "You won't be left behind."

Nightpaw's tail curled over his back, and he grinned. "Yes!" he purred.

"Come on," Mistyfoot mewed, stifling a yawn, "we need to head back before we're missed."

She led the way up the slope and away from Fourtrees, ducking beneath ferns and dodging bracken that would hold their scent. They walked together in silence.

_Shadow, Wind, River, and Thunder must join together, for the forest shakes to its roots._

Whatever the message meant, Mistyfoot feared it would affect the Clans on a scale they'd never seen before. Mistyfoot was no medicine cat, but she was certain most prophecies didn't mention all four Clans.

Thunder rumbled in the distance.

Whatever it was, Mistyfoot just hoped they could act before it was too late.


	11. Chapter 9

**Chapter 9**

_Shadepaw opened her eyes, feeling more_ exhausted than when she'd gone to sleep. Her moss was messy, caught in her claws and pelt, and she took a moment to clean herself up as she reflected on last night's dream.

She had been stalking through the forest, as if after prey – but passing every prey-scent that crossed her path. Something had happened – there was a flash of hostility in the darkness, and then confusion… and then a big, wide feeling, like the forest was opening up before her into infinite possibilities that made her heart swell. Beneath that, though, was a sense of foreboding that creeped forth like a spider – the contrast of which confused Shadepaw.

_What could it mean?_ She wondered. _I haven't had a dream like that before…_ Was it a sign from StarClan? Shadepaw had no idea.

She was tempted to ask Brackenfur, but he was still dozing in his den. Shadepaw decided to leave him to sleep and head out into the camp.

The world felt so different after last night's storm. Though the ferocious rain had only lasted a few hours, it was sorely needed. The forest was already drinking the water in deep and desperately, and Shadepaw could see plants perking up along the ravine that had been raspy and dry the day before.

She shook out her paws, grimacing. The rain was needed, yes, but now everything was soggy – especially the area near the camp entrance. Paws had long since trampled out the grass, leaving dirt which was now a puddle of mud. The apprentice's den almost had its own stream flowing just outside – Shadepaw picked her way over it and poked her head inside. Had Nightpaw slept well last night? She had a feeling he might not have.

Nightpaw wasn't there.

Confused, Shadepaw scented the air inside the den. Nightpaw's scent was stale, as if he hadn't slept there last night. Worry pricked Shadepaw's pelt – where was her brother?

_My dream…_ she thought, pulling her head out of the den. _It must have been from Nightpaw!_ Her neck fur fluffed worriedly at the realization. _What was he doing last night that caused such strong feelings?_

Across the clearing, Shadepaw spotted Ferncloud padding out of the nursery. Her kits followed on unsteady paws – but their eyes widened at the sight of the puddles. Brichkit and Hollykit immediately jumped into the water, splashing one another with their paws. Larchkit whimpered, huddling behind Ferncloud's leg.

"That's enough, you two," Ferncloud meowed, waving both paws and tail as she spoke. Hollykit and Birchkit paused in their playing to complain.

Shadepaw tuned them out, looking towards the camp entrance. Had Nightpaw been caught out in the storm? She imagined her brother's small body clinging to a fallen log while rain and wind lashed his pelt.

_If he'd been in pain, I would have felt it,_ she reasoned. Shadepaw knew from their kithood days that the two of them often felt when the other was in pain. It kept them from pulling pranks on one another, at least.

The gorse around the tunnel twitched, and Shadepaw felt a tingle of hope – but the black tom who emerged wasn't Nightpaw – it was Ravenpaw.

The barn cat looked surprised at the new, muddy stream between him and the camp and leaped the water easily, his whiskers twitching. His landing nearly made him ram into Shadepaw, who leaped back with a surprised mew.

"Sorry!" Ravenpaw insisted, eyes wide.

Shadepaw shook her pelt to chase away the flickering embers of a temper tantrum. "It's all right," she mewed. _You could have looked where you were going!_ "No harm done."

Ravenpaw tilted his head at her. "Shadepaw, right? Tinystar's daughter?" he guessed. "It's been a while."

Shadepaw nodded, looking up at the black tom. Ravenpaw was one of Tinystar's oldest friends, a former ThunderClan apprentice who had left the Clan for his own safety and happiness seasons ago. Now he lived at the barn on the edge of WindClan's territory. Shadepaw recalled him visiting when she was a kit, moons ago when rogues had been threatening ThunderClan's territory – he and his mate, Barley, had helped drive them out.

"Did you want to see Tinystar?" Shadepaw asked.

"Yes," Ravenpaw admitted, "that's why I'm here. I would have been in last night but the storm caught me out…"

Shadepaw tried to hide her uneasiness. If the storm had caught Ravenpaw… then it definitely had caught Nightpaw, too. She was about to ask if he'd seen Nightpaw out there when one of Ferncloud's kits tottered over to the loner for a sniff.

"Stranger," mewed Birchkit. His pale fur was fluffed, and Shadepaw could see his tiny claws flexing. "New scent."

"Who is this?" Larchkit asked.

Spiderpaw, who was passing by, dropped the moss in her mouth to mew, "That's Ravenpaw – he lives outside of Clan territory, in a barn. He eats more mice in a day than we see in a moon!"

"Is that why he's so r-round?" Larchkit asked.

"Larchkit!" fussed Ferncloud. "That's rude!"

Ravenpaw's whiskers twitched in amusement. "I'll admit I'm a little rounder than most," he purred, "but I'd be fatter than a kittypet if I ate that much!"

"Spiderpaw, hurry up!" Mousefur snapped from across the clearing. "Change that moss out so we can get on with hunting!"

Shadepaw blinked at Mousefur, who was waiting impatiently for her apprentice. Ferncloud touched her nose to Spiderpaw's ear and offered, "We'll handle it, Spiderpaw – you go hunt."

"Thanks, Ferncloud!" purred Spiderpaw. She trotted over to Mousefur and the two of them picked their way around the mud to the gorse tunnel. A moment later they were gone.

Shadepaw's belly flopped. Mousefur was heading out alone? Where was Mistyfoot? The two warriors had gotten much closer after Shrewpaw's death and hardly did many patrols without one another.

_How can both Mistyfoot and Nightpaw be missing?_ Shadepaw wondered. She stared into the camp entrance worriedly. _Had they met somewhere in the night? Is that what those feelings were?_

A moment later, as if her thoughts had carried through the forest, the gorse tunnel twitched. Nightpaw pushed his way through, tugging a soggy, muddy rabbit behind him. Relief flodded Shadepaw – but that relief turned to worry again when she tried to pick up Nightpaw's emotions.

_He's blocking me!_ She thought, a flash of temper in her belly. _Why would he do that?_

"I'll go see Tinystar now," Ravenpaw mewed. "Say hi to Nightpaw for me!"

Shadepaw acknowledged the loner with a flick of her tail as he sauntered off towards the Highrock. When Ravenpaw was gone, Shadepaw rushed up to Nightpaw, her tail fluffed. "Where've you been?" she asked. "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine," Nightpaw grumbled around the rabbit. He dropped the fresh-kill, not meeting her gaze. "I was hunting, duh. It's for you and Brackenfur."

_Why are you telling half-truths?_ Shadepaw wanted to screech. She could _feel_ it, didn't he remember that? Couldn't he feel her worry, too? _Why are you blocking me?_

She forced herself to say, "Thank you." It wouldn't look good if she exploded on her brother in the clearing for every cat to see. "Did you… go out last night?"

Nightpaw's eyes flashed. "No," he lied, his neck fur bristling, "I mean, yeah, I did – I couldn't sleep with the storm so I just… hunted instead."

Shadepaw searched her brother's ice-blue eyes with her own, trying to push against the wall he'd thrown up against her. It was like trying to press through a barrier of thorns, and Nightpaw grimaced at her effort.

"Stop it!" he hissed. "Leave me alone!"

"B-But!" Shadepaw stepped back, hurt pricking her pelt. Nightpaw snorted, and turned away. Panic flared in Shadepaw's heart. "I'm sorry, Nightpaw, I'm just worried-"

"Shadepaw!"

Brackenfur's voice carried over the clearing. Shadepaw swallowed, turning away from Nightpaw regretfully to look at her mentor, who was standing just outside the fern tunnel.

"Check on Dappletail and Frostfur, will you?" Brackenfur meowed. "This temperature change has no doubt made them sore." The way he adjusted his stance betrayed that the coolness was bothering his leg, too.

Shadepaw looked back to Nightpaw, only to find him gone. She saw the tip of his tail disappearing into the apprentice's den. The barrier was still there, prickly and impenetrable.

"Yes, Brackenfur," Shadepaw sighed. "Right away."

As she turned to the elders den, the gorse tunnel twitched again. Mistyfoot appeared this time, looking damp and tired, with mud caking her paws. She carried no fresh-kill, and Shadepaw watched her as she padded across the clearing and into the warrior's den. Shadepaw spotted Nightpaw's eyes from the shade of the apprentice's den, following Mistyfoot as she passed.

Now Shadepaw was certain – Nightpaw's evasiveness definitely had something to do with Mistyfoot. They _had_ been out together last night.

She searched those feelings from her dream and frowned as she padded over to the elder's den. _What happened between them, then?_ She wondered, wanting to wail.

_What happened last night… and why won't Nightpaw tell me?_


	12. Chapter 10

**Chapter 10**

_Mistyfoot trotted up the slope, her _tail held aloft and her muzzle high. There were so many strange new scents in the air, blown in on a gentle breeze that tickled her whiskers. The grass beneath her paws reminded her of the long grasses on the moor, but she wasn't on WindClan territory – she wasn't on any territory she knew of.

She reached the top of the slope and looked down, at a sight that made her eyes widen and jaw drop.

Below her stretched a massive body of water, bigger than any Mistyfoot had ever seen, ringed by rolling hills and vibrant forests. She padded down to it, stumbling over her own paws to take it all in. Her pelt brushed against a thicket of reeds, her paws splashed in the small, marshy puddles, but she didn't stop until she reached the shore – this place was pulling her along so hard she had to ignore her soaked fur.

The shore was pebbly beneath her paws, and Mistyfoot let the water lap over her. It was so cool and clear she could see her own reflection, and the dazzling stars in the sky, too.

_What is this place?_ She wondered, looking out over the water. _I've never seen anything like it!_ Though she was in strange territory, something about this place lifted her heart up and over the stars, as if she had found something that she had been meant to find all along.

The starlight danced on the water's surface, and Mistyfoot found herself entranced as it moved and took shape. Soon enough Mistyfoot could see Mosspaw padding along the surface of the water as if it were land, her small body outlined in starlight.

"Mosspaw?" Mistyfoot called. "Mosspaw!"

Mosspaw did not come any closer, which frustrated Mistyfoot. Her sister was just out of reach, and Mistyfoot wanted so much to talk to her about this place! What did it mean?

Yet Mosspaw's tail twitched at Mistyfoot, as if the young cat were beckoning her to come.

Mistyfoot tilted her head, confused. "I'm here, Mosspaw," she reasoned.

But Mosspaw's tail kept twitching, and her eyes lit with amusement.

Mistyfoot frowned crossly. If Mosspaw was going to play this game then so be it. Mistyfoot plunged into the water, feeling it lap over her back within a few steps. She paddled strongly, confident that she could at least stand on her toes if need be, until she reached Mosspaw's starry paws.

"Mosspaw, this isn't a game," Mistyfoot breathed, struggling to keep her muzzle above water. "What is this place? Why are you here?"

Mosspaw blinked down at her sister. She lowered her muzzle and touched her nose to Mistyfoot's. "I'm waiting for you," she breathed.

And then all went dark.

* * *

Mistyfoot's eyes opened.

To her shock she was not drenched – she made sure to check every hair on her pelt before getting to her paws. The images of her dream burned into her mind – the vast expanse of water, the rolling hills and the trees…

And Mosspaw.

_What did it mean?_ Mistyfoot wondered, her head buzzing. It had to mean _something_ – Mosspaw had delivered the first prophecy, after all.

Mistyfoot's stomach churned. _It must be some indication of what to do next, but…_

She had never seen nor heard of a place like in her dream. Could it exist, even? Thinking beyond her own borders was difficult – she'd never been further than Mothermouth, or the farthest reaches of ThunderClan territory downriver. Mistyfoot sank her claws into her nest.

"It must mean _something,_" she breathed to herself. "Mosspaw wouldn't show it to me if it didn't."

Mistyfoot shook her head and padded out into the sunshine. She couldn't think on an empty stomach, and this new dream had chased away her tiredness from the meeting the night before. There was a prickling in her paws now, a sense of eagerness that propelled her forward.

A flash of black caught her eye, and Mistyfoot paused in the clearing, looking towards the leader's den. It took her moment to recognize Ravenpaw as he settled in the shade of the Highrock, Tinystar by his side. Mistyfoot's ears flicked, curious.

"… Twolegs are all over the Thunderpaths, from the barn to the Twolegplace," Ravenpaw was meowing, his eyes flashing with worry. "I don't know what they're up to, but WindClan's territory is a mess! The earth has been churned to mud wherever the Twolegs go."

Tinystar's ear twitched. "Twolegs!" he huffed. "I'm sure they'll be done soon. They always act so oddly in greenleaf."

Mistyfoot frowned, watching Ravenpaw's face fall. Clearly the loner was of an opposite mind: "I don't know, Tinystar," he meowed, "I think this time… something very serious could be happening."

Tinystar's eyes flashed sympathetically. He touched his nose to his friend's. "We'll keep a look out," he said supportively. "That's all we can do, Ravenpaw. Safe travels."

Ravenpaw looked a little relieved at Tinystar's promise – he nodded. "StarClan watch over you."

Mistyfoot blinked. Ravenpaw's worries were serious – but Mistyfoot could see a bigger opportunity here, one more important. Ravenpaw was the only cat she could think of who had seen anything outside the forest – if there was any cat who knew anything about the water Mistyfoot had seen, it would be him.

Ravenpaw was getting up to leave. Mistyfoot had to act fast. "Tinystar!" she meowed, raising her voice.

"Yes?" Tinystar's ears pricked.

"May I, uh… May I escort Ravenpaw?" Mistyfoot offered. She tried her best not to look _too_ eager, but it was clear she had failed, by the twitching of Tinystar's whiskers.

"Sure," Tinystar decided. "Be sure to hunt on the way back."

"I will!" Mistyfoot promised.

Despite the dip in humidity, Mistyfoot's pelt still felt hot with embarrassment, especially as Ravenpaw rested his eyes on her. Did they have to sparkle with such amusement? Mistyfoot focused on the gorse tunnel – normally she would have berated herself for the foible, but right now there was just too much to be gained.

Mistyfoot raised her tail and led the way into the forest, Ravenpaw following behind.

* * *

"Ah… it still smells the same as when I was an apprentice!"

Mistyfoot's ear twitched. She and Ravenpaw were traveling down the well-worn ThunderClan trails, heading for Fourtrees. Ravenpaw would pass through the Gathering place and go on to the moors before he made it to the barn he called home.

Right now, the sleek black tom's eyes were sparkling with nostalgia. "Oh! I tried climbing that tree," he purred, whiskers twitching. "I, ah, failed."

Mistyfoot purred. "You could come back and try again," she offered. "You know Tinystar would let you back into ThunderClan in a heartbeat."

"Oh, I don't want that anymore," Ravenpaw mewed, dodging around a fern. "Clan life just isn't for me – besides, Barley would die of sadness if I left him!"

"Barley could come, too," Mistyfoot pointed out.

Ravenpaw rolled his eyes. "I suppose," he conceded. His tail flicked. "But he and I are very happy where we are. I wouldn't trade it for anything."

Mistyfoot blinked at him, awed by his certainty. She felt a stirring in her chest. _I wouldn't trade ThunderClan for anything, either,_ she thought as they padded on. _After all, I want to lead it someday._

Yet images of her dream haunted Mistyfoot. Wherever that place was, it was far from ThunderClan…

"Hey, Ravenpaw," Mistyfoot began.

"Yes?" The loner was half-distracted by a bird flitting overhead before he looked down at Mistyfoot.

She frowned. "Have you ever heard of…" She did her best to describe her dream, though she left out the part about Mosspaw. It was awkward – there was no way mere words could describe the majesty of the place, or how it had made her feel. When she was done talking it felt like she had fumbled it too much for Ravenpaw to even get an idea of what she'd seen.

Ravenpaw made a thoughtful noise. He stopped walking and frowned down at his paws. Mistyfoot halted, looking back at him, hope flaring in her chest like a dove's wings. _He's thinking, at least,_ she thought. _And he hasn't called me mouse-brained. Yet._

Finally the loner lifted his head. "It's called a lake, what you saw," he pointed out. "And I _have_ heard of it… but just rumors from other cats passing through the barn. Some claimed they saw a lake where it looked like the stars touched the earth."

"Have you ever been there?" Mistyfoot asked.

Ravenpaw shook his head. "Such a place is probably very beautiful though, I imagine," he added.

Mistyfoot frowned. "So it could be real?" she guessed.

Ravenpaw shrugged. "Who knows?" he mewed. "This world is strange, and there's so much no one knows. I can't imagine it's _not_ out there, somewhere."

Mistyfoot swallowed.

"You okay?" Ravenpaw wondered.

Blinking, Mistyfoot nodded. "Y-Yeah," she managed. "Just curious, is all.

Ravenpaw blinked at her, his eyes even. Panic flared in Mistyfoot's chest – would he demand to know how the lake had entered her thoughts? _He must wonder,_ she thought. _After all it came out of nowhere, and there's nothing like that here._

But, by StarClan's grace, Ravenpaw said nothing of it.

"I can make my way from here," the loner offered. He nodded into the trees. "I know how to get to Fourtrees."

Mistyfoot blinked at him. "But I told Tinystar-"

"Don't worry about it," Ravenpaw scoffed, flicking Mistyfoot's nose with his tail. Mistyfoot was stunned by the familiarity of the gesture. It was hard to believe at times that the loner was no stranger to Mistyfoot, or most of ThunderClan. "You've always been a worrier, Mistyfoot. Don't get too wrapped up in it."

Mistyfoot said nothing. Ravenpaw seemed satisfied with that – the loner put a spring in his step and headed down the trail, tail up, without a care in the world. Mistyfoot blinked after him. _If only things could roll off of me so easily!_ It was as if Ravenpaw's countenance was made of duck feathers.

But, right now, Mistyfoot had good reason to feel ill at ease – even more than before she was convinced her dream was something serious.

She looked up at the sun. _Is it that late already?_ If she hadn't met the others the night before…

_The others!_ The thought fanned a fresh wave of panic in her chest. _I have to tell the others!_

* * *

Mistyfoot emerged from the Thunderpath tunnel, feeling damp. The Twoleg-made passage was the easiest way into ShadowClan territory without risking the Thunderpath, and it would put her in a great place to get where she needed to go.

Measuring the sun, Mistyfoot crossed into ShadowClan territory. A patrol had gone by not long ago – Mistyfoot thanked StarClan that she had just missed them.

ShadowClan territory was a mire, a maze-like marsh filled with pine trees and standing water. Mistyfoot didn't like the smells here, strong and fungal. A cat could get lost in this place if they didn't know where they were headed – but thankfully Mistyfoot had an idea of where to go.

She kept to the very edge of the border, hoping her own scent wouldn't be noticeable under the strong smells. Stoneheart had talked fondly of a place near to the Thunderpath, where he liked to go and sun himself after a long day. With any luck the warm sun would bring him out now.

Mistyfoot slipped over the border, tail low as she cautiously padded into the woods. The ground was drier than Stoneheart usually described it – the marsh was starving for water, even after the storm. It at least made the peat bogs easy to avoid. Mistyfoot leaped one and grimaced – ShadowClan cats _had_ to have webbed paws by now!

She continued on until she reached a sunny spot. Pines and oaks alike grew here, their boughs tangling just enough to let a shaft of sunlight touch the earth. It was the grassiest place in ShadowClan territory, according to Stoneheart, and the only place where a red, five-petaled flower grew in all the forest.

Mistyfoot could see the flowers now, dotting the space. They weren't any herb Mistyfoot knew of, but she did think them pretty. Stoneheart wasn't here – yet – so Mistyfoot settled down and prodded a flower gently with her paw.

"We say its bad luck to trample those flowers, you know."

The gruff voice made Mistyfoot jump.

Stoneheart emerged from the marsh, his eyes sparkling. "Though, trespassing is even worse luck."

"Stoneheart!" Mistyfoot snapped. "Great StarClan, must you always try to scare me out of my fur?"

Stoneheart's eyes narrowed. "Don't try that here, Mistyfoot," he meowed back. "If you're caught…"

"I won't be here long," Mistyfoot insisted.

Quickly she launched into an explanation of her dream. At first, Stoneheart was uncertain – but at the mention of Mosspaw, his eyes widened. "… Ravenpaw says it might be real!" she finished.

"And what do you think?" Stoneheart asked.

Mistyfoot blinked. "Mosspaw was calling me, Stoneheart. She said she was waiting for me. I think StarClan wants us to go there."

Stoneheart frowned.

"We said we would wait for another sign," Mistyfoot pressed. "I don't think it gets any clearer than that!"

Stoneheart blinked at her. "I'm not doubting you, Mistyfoot!" he insisted. "But this… this would mean leaving our Clans, don't you see? And if we leave for nothing…"

Mistyfoot felt a lump in her throat. "I know," she whispered. The idea of leaving every cat she had ever known… it was terrifying. Even Ashfur, who hated her so. In a way, even he was still family.

But StarClan was calling.

Stoneheart rested his muzzle on her head. "I believe you, Mistyfoot," he breathed. "I believe Mosspaw. I'll come with you."

Mistyfoot pressed her muzzle into her brother's fur, grateful for his support. "Thank you," she purred.

"When should we go?" Stoneheart asked.

Mistyfoot pulled back, frowning. "As soon as we can. The night before the half-moon? That would give us enough time to… figure things out…"

Stoneheart nodded. "Plus we wouldn't run into the medicine cats on their way to or from the Moonstone."

"Exactly."

"Then the night before the half-moon it is," Stoneheart agreed. "Fourtrees?"

"Fourtrees." _Is this really coming together so quickly?_

Stoneheart's tail flicked. "Then that's all – now get out of here, before a ShadowClan patrol sees us!"

* * *

Mistyfoot had to pelt out of ShadowClan territory to make it to Sunningrocks before sunset. There would be no time to find Crowpaw today – she'd have to settle for somehow catching Feathertail and hoping the RiverClan she-cat could tell him. It wasn't a conversation Mistyfoot was eager to try having with the prickly apprentice, anyway.

Mistyfoot crossed the stepping-stones in a few bounds and followed the river towards the gorge, smelling traces of WindClan as she crawled through the reed beds to avoid detection. _It rained last night,_ she reflected, frowning. _Why are WindClan still drinking from the gorge?_ It wasn't her business – but at least it meant that some RiverClan cats would be there too, watching the WindClan warriors.

She could see them – the thin, wiry WindClan cats taking their last drinks of the river. Some carried wads of soaked moss as they padded up the path into the moors. RiverClan warriors were positioned in the reeds, watching the WindClan cats like hawks waiting to swoop.

_I wonder if there's been theft since we caught Onewhisker,_ Mistyfoot thought. _Did WindClan learn their lesson?_ From here, all the moor cats looked skinny.

Mistyfoot craned her neck. She couldn't see Crowpaw – but she could see Feathertail and Stormfur, both talking to a dappled gray tabby. She ducked low in the reeds. If she was caught here… well, she didn't like the look of that gray tabby's claws, or the flash of his eyes.

"Stormfur!" she hissed. The big gray tom was closer. "Stormfur!"

Mistyfoot saw Stormfur's ear flick, but it took a moment before he turned about and met Mistyfoot in the reeds. His eyes flashed. "What're you doing here?" he asked.

Mistyfoot saw the spark in his eye. _Does he think I'm here to see him?!_ She thought, stunned for a moment as heat flooded her pelt. _I mean, I kind of am?_

She shook her head. "Can you get Feathertail?" she asked.

Stormfur frowned. "Hang on," he mewed. "Falcontail is a sharp one. Stay here – I'll be back!"

Mistyfoot had to watch Stormfur go, digging her claws in as she could only see his ears bobbing as he spoke to his Clanmate. It felt like an eternity before Falcontail left the littermates alone and Stormfur and Feathertail were padding through the reeds towards Mistyfoot.

"Mistyfoot!" breathed Feathertail. "It's so good to see you!"

"It's good to see you, too," Mistyfoot replied. "Now listen…" For the third time Mistyfoot described the lake in her dream – but now it was more simple and concise, and with the added details of the plans she and Stoneheart had made. Feathertail's eyes shone the entire time, but to Mistyfoot's disappointment, Stormfur looked uneasy.

"I'm going," Feathertail said the instant Mistyfoot was done.

Stormfur flinched. _"What!?"_ he hissed. "Feathertail!"

"It's what StarClan wants!" Feathertail told him earnestly. Her eyes shone with something Mistyfoot didn't quite understand – was that _pain?_ "I'm going, Stormfur, with or without you."

Stormfur looked down at his paws. "Fine," he breathed. "I just hope this doesn't turn out to be a big mistake. Leaving our Clan is a huge risk – we have no idea what's out there."

"This lake is out there," Feathertail answered. "_Answers_ are out there."

Mistyfoot swallowed. Despite Feathertail's eager personality, she hadn't expected the silver she-cat's consensus so quickly, especially since it meant leaving RiverClan. The two littermates had been adamant to stay, even after the battle with BloodClan and their parents joining ThunderClan.

"Thank you," was all Mistyfoot could offer.

"No, thank _you,"_ Feathertail insisted. "I'll get the message to Crowpaw."

"Do you think he'll even believe it?" Mistyfoot wondered.

"We'll make him," Stormfur promised. "But you need to get off of RiverClan territory, before Falcontail finds you. Trust us – he's not as friendly as we are."

Mistyfoot nodded. Quickly she was on her paws and flying across RiverClan territory. She crossed the stepping-stones in three bounds, her paws filled with a sense of tingling adventure. She swept through Sunningrocks and into the forest, images of the lake filling her mind.

And yet…

Mistyfoot slowed to a halt on the slope of the ravine. Stones clattered down the path as she caught her breath. She looked down at the ThunderClan camp, at the cats sharing tongues and laughing over fresh-kill, mostly hidden by the overgrowth of the forest. She looked up at the forest all around her, and swallowed.

_I'll be leaving this behind,_ she thought.

Mistyfoot's world shook. She dug her claws into the earth to steady herself as anxiety rocked her body, rippling through her pelt like electricity. She suddenly felt like curling into a ball.

_I have to do this!_ She told herself, closing her eyes tight. She could see the lake, see Mosspaw, hear Mosspaw beckoning her. _I have to!_

_It's for their sake!_

She wasn't the only one who would be leaving their Clan. Mistyfoot opened her eyes. _It won't be easy on any of us,_ she decided. _But we have to do it._

Mistyfoot looked down at the cats in the camp, looking happy and carefree and unaware of whatever troubles loomed on the horizon.

_It's to save them._


	13. Chapter 11

**Chapter 11**

"_We're in need of tansy and _celandine," Brackenfur meowed. "Between Longtail's eyes and Dappletail's failing sight we're running short."

Shadepaw nodded. "I'll get looking right away."

Trees creaked overhead. Shadepaw scanned the foliage all around them, trying to find either of the plants that Brackenfur needed. It was nice to be out of camp, away from the hustle and bustle of others… and away from Nightpaw. This far into the forest, her brother's prickly wall of emotion was barely a tickle in Shadepaw's head.

"This rain has been StarClan-sent," Brackenfur sighed, his tail swishing in the damp leaves. "Without it, surely all these plants would have died."

"I know," Shadepaw sighed. "I don't see any tansy or celandine, Brackenfur," she meowed. "What else do we need?"

"Unfortunate. Comfry," Brackenfur pointed out. "Do you remember what comfry looks like?"

Shadepaw closed her eyes. "Purple flowers and long, pointed leaves. Right?"

"Yes."

Shadepaw opened her eyes. She spotted a clump near the base of a birch tree not a few fox-lengths away. The bell-like flowers were gone, but she recognized the leaves. Shadepaw padded over to the plant, sniffing just to make sure, remembering how hard it'd been to tell comfry leaves apart from other plants in Brackenfur's stores.

She began to pick the leaves off, working meticulously to ensure she got as much as she could without damaging the plant. That was part of being a medicine cat, too – if the plant died from being trimmed badly, then how would the medicine cat heal her Clan?

Shadepaw found comfort in the activity, even as her eyes stung from herb juices and the smell of comfry. She soon had a respectable pile at her paws, and she gathered it up in her jaws. _Brackenfur will be delighted!_ She thought. _We've enough to get through leaf-bare!_

She spotted Brackenfur digging at the roots of a tree. _He must've found burdock,_ she thought. Even if they couldn't find celandine or tansy, at least they had found something. There were other parts of the forest to look, and plenty of daylight left to do the looking. Shadepaw adjusted her comfry bundle in her jaws before trotting over to meet her mentor.

As she walked, she found quickly that her vision was becoming obscured. Shadepaw paused, tail trembling, as she watched the forest all around she and her mentor fill up with a thick fog. Shadepaw dropped her comfry as even the sunlight seemed swallowed up by the sudden mist.

"B-Brackenfur?" she called.

There was no reply. Shadepaw looked around, suddenly finding that she couldn't see her mentor – all she could make out were her own paws and the ghostly gray trees rising above the phenomenon. Shadepaw planted her paws, unsure of what to do.

A catlike shape made its way through the mist, lean and long-furred, with a plumy tail. Shadepaw's eyes widened as she recognized the figure. Mistyfoot!

Another shape formed beside Mistyfoot, small and low-bodied. It was easy to tell by the shape of the ears that it wasn't Tinystar, but Nightpaw.

Shadepaw stared in awe as more shapes appeared behind Mistyfoot and Nightpaw – uncountable cats, none of which Shadepaw could really recognize in the mist. Shadepaw found herself wondering whether or not she ought to be afraid of this vision – and yet… the mist was comforting. Protective. Shadepaw felt no fear as Mistyfoot's shape locked eyes with her and dipped her head.

And then as soon as the mist had gathered, it was gone.

Dazed, Shadepaw blinked rapidly, shocked at the sudden brightness of the world around her. _Had that… been a vision from StarClan?_ She wondered.

"Shadepaw! Shadepaw, there you are!" panted Brackenfur.

The golden brown tom was beside Shadepaw, his sides heaving and his eyes wide. His fur was standing on end, and fear-scent rolled off of him.

"Did you see that?" Shadepaw breathed, unable to keep the awe out of her voice. "Brackenfur, that was a sign from StarClan!"

"I know," Brackenfur meowed. The look in his eyes made Shadepaw's tail lower. "I saw."

"Mistyfoot looked so strong and happy!" Shadepaw pointed out. "I haven't seen her like that since before Shrewpaw died, and…" Shadepaw's mew died in her throat as she really took in Brackenfur's expression, which was growing graver with every word. A sinking feeling settled in Shadepaw's stomach.

"We need to see Tinystar." Brackenfur's voice was unusually clipped. "Immediately."

* * *

Sandstorm and Tinystar were grooming in the shadow of the Highrock when Brackenfur and Shadepaw returned. The camp was quiet, with warriors off hunting and patrolling, so thankfully no cat really paid much mind to Brackenfur's expression and pace as he led the way to Tinystar.

Tinystar looked up from Sandstorm's flank, his jaws open to greet his medicine cat until he caught on to Brackenfur's trembling tail and the way the golden brown tom's claws dug into the earth.

"What is it?" he asked, quietly.

Sandstorm stirred, looking up from where she lay. Her tail twitched as she observed.

"I've had a sign," Brackenfur murmured gravely.

Shadepaw listened in shock as Brackenfur described the mist vision: "It clouded the entire forest, blocking sight and sound," he meowed sternly, "and it was cold like ice to my bones. I couldn't even recognize the trees, Tinystar! Within the mist I saw Mistyfoot, leading a group of cats. The way she looked at me… it was like seeing Bluestar all over again."

Tinystar's eyes narrowed. "Are you sure?"

Brackenfur nodded his head.

Confusion and alarm sparked in Shadepaw. "Brackenfur, that's not what I saw at all!" she blurted. Before Brackenfur could interject, Shadepaw went on, "I saw the mist, and Mistyfoot, yes – but it didn't feel cold or unwelcoming! It was warm, and I felt safe! Mistyfoot didn't look anything like a tyrant."

Sandstorm and Tinystar shared a look, confusion passing between them. "Then who is right?" Sandstorm wondered.

Brackenfur frowned. "Shadepaw, don't you think you may be misinterpreting what you saw?" he meowed carefully. "This is your first vision from StarClan."

Shadepaw's shoulders bristled. "I am _not_ misinterpreting anything!" she insisted. "I know what I saw, and what I felt! I don't see some ghost of the past every time I look at Mistyfoot!"

Brackenfur shut his jaws.

"Don't talk to your mentor that way, Shadepaw," Sandstorm hissed.

Shadepaw turned her head away from her parents, feeling both anger and shame prickling her pelt like fire ants. _I shouldn't have said that,_ she thought ruefully. _Curse my temper!_

"Regardless," Tinystar meowed, his tone drawn and careful, "of who is right here… it is clear that we need to keep an eye on Mistyfoot." He glanced between the gathered cats. "It is paramount that no cat here tells Mistyfoot about this vision; not until we know what's going on. Understood?"

"Of course, Tinystar," Brackenfur meowed.

"Shadepaw?" Tinystar asked.

Shadepaw forced herself to meet her father's eyes. His icy blue gaze was unreadable. Was he ashamed of his daughter? "Of course."

* * *

"How _dare_ you!"

Shadepaw flinched. She looked back at Brackenfur as he limped into the medicine cat's den, the ferns closing behind him. His golden eyes were blazing with annoyance, his tail lashing to and fro.

"_I_ am the full medicine cat here, Shadepaw," he snapped sternly, "and you have no idea how to interpret signs from StarClan! You had _no_ business speaking up like that, especially in front of Tinystar!"

Shadepaw looked down at her paws, feeling shame wash over her. "I know how I felt," she insisted. "Mistyfoot isn't an omen of evil – why is what I saw and felt wrong?"

Brackenfur sighed, the frustration in his eyes fading. "You're just an apprentice, Shadepaw," he reminded her. Shadepaw's pelt prickled with anger. "You just don't have enough experience with signs from StarClan to make that kind of call. Your connection to StarClan is amazing, but you've no idea how to handle it yet."

Shadepaw's temper flared, making her shoulders bristle. "It's _my_ 'amazing' connection to StarClan, and _I_ will see things as _I_ am meant to!" she snapped. Anger flared white-hot in her vision. "I'll bet a whole juniper bush you didn't tell _Mosspaw_ what _she_ did or didn't see when she had visions!"

Brackenfur bristled now, his eyes flashing with pain. "This argument is _over!"_ he hissed.

Shadepaw lashed her tail. "Fine!" she growled. Regret panged her heart, but it was swallowed up by her growing frustration. "_I'm_ going to go collect the herbs we left in the forest!"

Brackenfur didn't stop her as she stalked out of the medicine cat den and through the clearing. He didn't stop her as she plunged out into the forest and broke into a run, her anger pulsing through her paws. Blindly she crashed through the forest, passing even the herbs she had promised to gather.

_I'm right!_ Shadepaw thought, her claws tearing at the turf before her paws. Anger blazed through her, a gift from her father. _I _know_ it!_

_Why doesn't he see it? Why can't he just _trust_ me?!_


	14. Chapter 12

**Chapter 12**

_Mistyfoot relished the cooler dawn temperatures_ as she settled down with a starling, making sure to first brush away the dew from her spot with a sweep of her plumed tail. Most warriors had just gotten up and moving, and though Mistyfoot had wanted to sleep off yesterday's journey she had one more thing to take care of that she hadn't been able to do last night.

Nightpaw.

The small apprentice was busy this morning. Mistyfoot watched him travel in and out of the nursery with moss, looking more and more annoyed each time he was sent away. Mistyfoot had a moment to start her breakfast before Nightpaw would be available to talk, she guessed.

As she chewed her starling, Mistyfoot spotted Shadepaw heading for the elder's den. The she-cat's gait was stiff and her tail-tip was twitching, and beyond that, Mistyfoot recognized the spark in her eyes.

_What has her tail in a twist?_ Mistyfoot wondered. Shadepaw had inherited her father's temper – that much was public knowledge in ThunderClan – but otherwise she was a rather calm and collected cat. Now it seemed like she was barely keeping her frustration in her pelt. _Must be some medicine cat thing._

Finally it seemed like Nightpaw was free from the nursery. The small tom staggered over to Mistyfoot, looking tired already. He flopped down and groaned, "Queens!"

"Ferncloud giving you a hard time?" Mistyfoot guessed.

"I've been running back and forth for moss since I woke up!" Nightpaw complained. "Ferncloud and Snowstep kept sending me back! Now my paws stink!"

Mistyfoot's whiskers twitched with amusement. "This is their first litter," she pointed out. "They want everything to be perfect. You can't blame them for that."

Nightpaw still looked cross. "Oh, as if _you'd_ know!" he huffed. Mistyfoot took no offense from his tone, which was joking despite his annoyance. It all quickly faded. "What did you want to talk about? You've had another sign?"

"Hush!" Mistyfoot hissed, suddenly aware of every eye in camp. She took a moment to examine the warriors around them, looking for cats who might be staring… and unfortunately, locked eyes with the one cat she wished hadn't been looking in her direction.

Tinystar.

"Not here," Mistyfoot decided. There was something about Tinystar's gaze, the way he was staring at her, that made her fur prickle. "In the forest. Sunhigh?"

Nightpaw nodded wordlessly.

Tinystar got to his paws and padded over. Mistyfoot's heart thudded with every paw step he took. Had he overheard? Did he know? She fought not to tremble.

"Nightpaw, I want you to go on patrol with Graystripe and Whitepaw," Tinystar meowed. "They're heading to Fourtrees."

Nightpaw looked perplexed. "But… Dustpelt had me on camp duties today," he reminded his father.

Tinystar's tail flicked. "Are you going to disobey your leader?" he queried, his tone low and serious.

Nightpaw's eyes widened, and Mistyfoot's saw them flash with rebelliousness – yet they tempered into a cold resignment. "No, Father," he muttered, before turning and loping away.

Mistyfoot blinked in confusion – especially when Nightpaw met up with Graystripe and stated he was joining them. The thick-furred gray warrior looked surprised to see him.

Tinystar was already padding away when Mistyfoot switched her gaze to him. _He never acts like that!_ She thought. Suddenly the starling between her paws seemed stale and unappetizing. Tinystar had only intervened in Nightpaw's duties when he'd come to see _her._

_Did he… did he just try to stop Nightpaw from talking to me?_ Mistyfoot's throat clenched, and a stone of guilt settled in her stomach. _Has he just decided I'm not to interact with any apprentice? Does he think I'll get his son killed?_

"Hey, Mistyfoot?"

Cloudtail's voice brought her out of her gloomy thoughts. The fluffy ginger-and-white she-cat was standing over her, tail-tip flicking from side to side. Her blue eyes sparked as she asked, "Want to come hunting?"

Mistyfoot nodded. She took one last bite of the starling, knowing it'd be wasted otherwise. Though it felt like eating bark, she swallowed. Hunting would be good, yes; it would get herself out of her own mind.

_And maybe I can see Nightpaw in the forest while we're out,_ Mistyfoot thought, trotting after Cloudtail. _Maybe it's all in my head, and Tinystar really wanted Nightpaw on that patrol…_

* * *

Mistyfoot did not end up meeting with Nightpaw at all for the rest of the the day. Every time she thought she had a chance, he'd been swept off on some other task, or she'd been asked to join another patrol, until finally Mistyfoot had padded in to camp to find Nightpaw sound asleep.

She felt badly. She didn't want to keep him out of the loop – she'd promised, even if he didn't end up leaving the Clan with her. As she settled down to sleep she resolved to meet with him the next morning – but the moment she left the warrior's den she was swept up in the dawn patrol without a moment to check for Nightpaw's whereabouts.

As she padded in to camp, muscles awake and ready for the day, she focused her attention on looking for Nightpaw. _I just need to tell him one thing!_ She thought, annoyed. _Why is everything conspiring to keep me from doing that?_

Mistyfoot ducked her head into the apprentice's den and sighed. Nightpaw was gone, and a quick look and scent around the clearing showed that Dustpelt was gone, too. Mistyfoot's tail lashed. What in StarClan's name was going on? Other apprentices weren't even as busy as Nightpaw suddenly was! Had he misbehaved in some way? _Have I?_

Still, no cat was hounding her for a patrol – Mistyfoot had time to stretch her legs and look for Nightpaw herself, and maybe hunt on the way, too. She headed for the gorse tunnel, resolved.

"Mistyfoot?"

Mistyfoot halted, trying to keep her pelt from bristling at Graystripe as he approached. Whitepaw, his apprentice, padded up beside him.

"Want to come training with Whitepaw and I?" the older gray warrior asked.

Mistyfoot frowned, confused. "Why?" she asked. Crowding the training hollow with warriors who weren't mentoring the apprentices within just wasn't something ThunderClan did. What was the point?

Graystripe shrugged. "Something Tinystar wants to try," he mewed. Mistyfoot found he was pointedly avoiding meeting her eye. "An order's an order."

_It's an order?_ She thought, her stomach twisting. _Tinystar ordered this? Why? To rub in the fact that I'll probably never have an apprentice again? To remind me of how badly I screwed it up with Shrewpaw?_

Guilt would have pricked her paws yesterday, but now it was annoyance. She was tired of being constantly reminded that she had failed as a mentor. Still, an order was an order – Mistyfoot had to follow Graystripe to the training hollow, and look as if she was just fine with it.

* * *

The sun was climbing overhead, and Mistyfoot was bored.

Graystripe and Whitepaw were training in the hollow, yes, but there was just nothing for Mistyfoot to do – Whitepaw was an older apprentice, and had already mastered basic techniques. Now it was up to Graystripe to cater the more advanced moves to his apprentice's needs.

Spiderpaw and Mousefur joined them partway through, leaving Mistyfoot with even less to do. Despite her friendship with Mousefur, Mistyfoot couldn't interrupt Spiderpaw's training. All this was doing was making Mistyfoot miss Shrewpaw, making her agitated and anxious as she thought of all the things she could have done with him, had he lived.

_Tinystar really must be punishing me,_ she decided. _Because this is torture._

* * *

Finally, after what seemed like an age, the training session was over.

Mistyfoot's skull was pounding, her paws itching to be doing anything but sitting and watching. She looked up at the sky with dismay – evening was already upon the forest. She dug her claws into the sand. _Was I really ordered to just waste an entire day doing nothing?_

Punishing her was one thing – but making her sit like a lump was surely punishing the Clan as well! _I could have been hunting or patrolling at least!_ She thought, lashing her tail. _This is ridiculous!_

Mistyfoot followed Graystripe and Whitepaw into camp, her tail dragging in the dust. _Maybe I can go hunting to make up for it,_ she thought.

A flash of black caught her eye – Nightpaw was passing her!

Quickly Mistyfoot leaned down and hissed, "Meet me behind the nursery, as soon as possible!"

Whether Nightpaw had heard or not, Mistyfoot excused herself from Graystripe's company and headed for the nursery. When she was sure no cat was watching, she slipped behind the brambles and into a small pocket of space between the nursery and the camp boundary. She waited there in the shadows, thorns pricking her pelt.

Finally Nightpaw appeared.

"I'm sorry!" he meowed immediately, his eyes wide. "I haven't been able to get away at all!"

"Neither have I!" Mistyfoot breathed. "It's been ridiculous – I just spent half the day sitting on my haunches watching apprentices train!"

Nightpaw looked ready to wail. "I-I don't know what I did!" he sputtered. "Suddenly Tinystar is on my tail about _everything_ I do! Even Dustpelt isn't this bad! I didn't tell anyone, Mistyfoot – not even Shadepaw, though I doubt she'd even listen to me… I swear it on my whiskers!"

Mistyfoot believed him; it was hard not to, from the earnest look in his eyes. She rested her tail on his shoulder. She couldn't imagine being Tinystar's kit – being Bluestar's was bad enough. "We have time now," she mewed. "And I do have more to say about my dreams."

"Then hurry and tell me!" Nightpaw insisted. "Before we get caught!"

Mistyfoot opened her mouth to tell him about the lake and her plans to leave – but the brambles rustled at almost the exact same moment, and Tinystar pushed his way into the gap. His eyes were cold as ice as he looked upon his son and his former apprentice, his tail bristling with annoyance.

"_What_ are you two doing here?" he demanded coldly.

Nightpaw flinched against Mistyfoot at his father's tone. Mistyfoot frowned at Tinystar. "We're just talking," she insisted. "There's no harm in that."

Tinystar narrowed his eyes. "There is when it's out of sight, when there's work to be done," he stated simply.

"I've been working all day," Nightpaw complained. "I'm _tired, _Father!"

"So am I," Mistyfoot agreed. Frustration smoldered in her belly. "We've been working twice as hard as any cat – I demand to know why!"

Tinystar's silence filled the space behind the nursery with a chill that rivaled leaf-bare nights. It took all Mistyfoot had to keep her eyes locked on his. Nightpaw trembled beside her.

"I am Clan leader," Tinystar hissed. "My word is law, and by the warrior code I expect obedience!"

Mistyfoot bristled.

"I will not have cats idling their time _chatting_ when there is work to be done!" Tinystar went on, teeth bared. "Mistyfoot – since you seem to be obsessed with apprentices lately, you won't mind taking care of the elders for the rest of the day. And Nightpaw – you will do anything but associate with this lazy excuse for a warrior - is that _clear?"_

Tinystar turned his back and pushed back out into camp, taking the coldness with him. Nightpaw slithered onto his belly, trembling, and whimpered.

Mistyfoot dug her claws into the earth, staring at the space her former mentor had been. He was right – his word was law – but he had never been this unfair or unreasonable before. _What in StarClan's name has gotten into him? He's acting like…_

Mistyfoot hunched her shoulders. For once, the thought of leaving the Clan seemed a good thing – even if it meant earning Tinystar's anger legitimately.


	15. Chapter 13

**Chapter 13**

_Mistyfoot woke from troubled sleep, her_ dreams clouded with Tinystar's ice-blue eyes chasing her from the ThunderClan camp for something she didn't know about. Dawn light was seeping in through the cracks in the warrior's den walls, and Mistyfoot sighed.

She would be leaving tonight.

Mistyfoot did not even try to speak with Nightpaw throughout the day. It would only cause trouble for them both, and soon enough he would guess what Mistyfoot had been trying to tell him behind the nursery the day before. Her heart ached as she saw Nightpaw heading out of camp – he looked sullen and miserable and alone, his tail dragging in the dust.

The day seemed to drag on. Mistyfoot had been assigned no task and she paced the camp, waiting for Tinystar to tell her to go sit in a tree for hours, or whatever he found fitting. She didn't bother taking any prey, feeling that it might be a trap – she had done nothing to deserve it yet.

Evening was coming. Each moment brought Mistyfoot closer to nightfall, when she would have to sneak out of camp and leave ThunderClan for… possibly forever. The thought chilled her bones. Though the past few days had been tenuous, this place, these cats… they were Mistyfoot's home and family. The thought of leaving them pulled at her like enemy claws.

Finally Mousefur approached her. "Want to go hunting?" she asked.

Mistyfoot wondered if Tinystar had put her up to this – but Mistyfoot had not seen Tinystar all day. She nodded in reply.

Even if Tinystar had set this up… it would be nice to hunt with a friend, before she had to go.

* * *

Evening light cast the forest in an orange glow. Mousefur led the way to a thicket of oak and ferns, where Mistyfoot know prey was teeming, especially after the rain. The three of them crouched behind a long-fallen oak, watching intently for small shapes in the undergrowth.

Yet Mistyfoot found herself unable to focus. Her gaze kept straying to Mousefur, and words kept bubbling in her throat – an attempt to say good-bye hung in her mind. Mistyfoot knew she couldn't say it without bringing up a load of questions. Friends or not, she knew Mousefur wouldn't understand, wouldn't let her leave.

Mistyfoot wasn't the only distracted cat. Spiderpaw had a hard time staying still, even after so long in training. Mousefur kept forcing her to stop fidgeting, stop moving, stop chattering. She was far too busy for Mistyfoot to confide in, even a little.

Finally Spiderpaw's fidgeting came to a head – a squirrel darted out into the open and like an excited kitten, Spiderpaw leaped the oak log and shot off after it.

Mousefur growled in annoyance. "Stay here," she said, clambering over the log. "We'll be back."

Mistyfoot watched Mousefur go, chasing after her apprentice into the forest. She was suddenly alone now, with only the sound of a branch falling or a bird chirping to keep her company. The silence was… comforting.

For a time.

Without Spiderpaw's chatter or Mousefur's grumblings, Mistyfoot's own worries began to creep into focus. She leaned against the log and sighed as they washed over her in a wave. What if it was for nothing? What if the lake wasn't real? What if she was caught trying to leave, or worse? What if she died, far away from ThunderClan?

Briefly, she wondered if any cat would really miss her.

A rustling caught Mistyfoot's attention, and she poked her head up from behind the log. As if StarClan had brought him here, Nightpaw was chasing a vole through the ferns. The small apprentice made a leap, but ultimately he missed – the vole scurried away, leaving Nightpaw to push himself to his paws and sigh.

"Wonderful," he murmured. "Just one more thing I've done wrong."

"Nightpaw!" Mistyfoot mewed, standing.

Nightpaw jumped nearly out of his fur. "Mistyfoot!" he hissed. "Don't _do_ that!"

"Sorry," Mistyfoot offered. She leaped over the log in an easy bound. "What're you doing here?"

Nightpaw twitched his tail, his eyes downcast. "I _was_ trying to catch a vole for Dappletail – I figured if I can't make Father happy I can at least make everyone else happy… for the rest of eternity."

Mistyfoot's heart broke for him. How could Tinystar do this to his own son?

"You said you had another sign?" Nightpaw recalled. "Y'know, before we got yelled at."

Mistyfoot blinked in shock. They were _alone_ for the first time in what felt like ages. She could finally tell him! "It was amazing," she began. "I was standing on a hill, before this great big-"

"_What_ is going on here?"

Mistyfoot's jaws snapped shut.

Tinystar appeared, pushing his way through the ferns, his tail and head held high. Mistyfoot's heart sank. What were the odds? Twice in as many days? Nightpaw whimpered, shuffling back to stand closer to Mistyfoot, as if she could shield him from his father.

"I was hunting for the elders," Nightpaw replied quietly.

"And I was hunting with Mousefur," Mistyfoot reported.

Tinystar narrowed his eyes. He looked around the fern-choked glade. "I see neither Dustpelt nor Mousefur," he stated.

"I can't speak for Dustpelt, but Mousefur ran off after Spiderpaw," Mistyfoot explained.

"Dustpelt sent me out alone," Nightpaw meowed.

Tinystar blinked. "And this is how you choose to obey orders? Talking here like jackdaws instead of hunting them?"

"We just happened upon each other!" Nightpaw insisted, his eyes wide. "W-We were just chatting for a moment!"

"Oh?" Tinystar questioned, his eyes frustratingly skeptical.

Mistyfoot dug her claws into the earth, her spine rigid. "Yes," she snapped. "We _did_ just happen to run into one another. We'd have to, since you've been dictating our every move as if you don't trust us!"

Tinystar's icy gaze turned to her. "Cats who do not obey my orders are cats I cannot trust!" he snapped.

Tension crackled in the air. Mistyfoot stepped forward, fur bristling. "Obey me or be punished? Is that how you are now? The only cat I know of who thought like that was _Bluestar!"_ she snarled.

Silence descended upon the forest.

Mistyfoot fought to keep herself from trembling, from taking back her words. Tinystar's eyes were glittering like icy claws, and Mistyfoot imagined them slicing into her throat. Comparing Tinystar to Bluestar… what was she thinking? Had she snapped, suddenly? Gone mad?

"Mistyfoot and I have done nothing wrong," Nightpaw meowed, his voice breaking the silence. "You need to ease up on us, or at least tell us what we did. This isn't fair, being punished for something we don't know about! Father, can't you see that?"

The chill fled Tinystar's gaze. Mistyfoot heard the regret in his voice, the tiredness and sorrow: "I am doing what is best for the Clan, my son. You two… you two need to understand that."

Suddenly it hit Mistyfoot like a blow. They weren't being _punished_ – there was something that Tinystar knew that he could not tell any other cat. Something that involved _them._

"Mistyfoot," Tinystar continued, his voice still subdued, "get back to hunting. Find Mousefur. Nightpaw – get back to camp."

The small black tom turned and left, his pawsteps the only sound in the forest.

When he was gone for sure Mistyfoot told Nightpaw, "Go back to camp."

"What?" Nightpaw breathed. "I don't want to!" He leaned against Mistyfoot, trembling. "I've never been so scared of him, Mistyfoot. Don't make me go back!"

"I dreamed of a lake, Nightpaw," Mistyfoot meowed. Suddenly the dream tumbled from her jaws: "It was far away from here, and bigger than any puddle we've ever seen, surrounded by forests and moorland and everything we could ever dream of. Mosspaw was there, and she told me she was waiting for me… so we're going. Tonight."

Nightpaw was stunned, as if Mistyfoot had hit him on the head. He shook his head and insisted, "I'm coming."

Panic flooded Mistyfoot. "You can't!" she insisted. "I can't be responsible for your safety."

"I can't stay here!" Nightpaw threw back. "I don't know what's wrong with Father but I _won't_ be punished for it! I want to see this through, Mistyfoot – I _need_ to!"

Mistyfoot swallowed. The thought of Nightpaw being left here, alone… it hurt just as much as thinking of what might happen to him on the journey – or what might happen to him if he tried to follow on his own. She pictured him huddled in the log, the badger crashing down on him…

She sagged. "I know," she meowed. "I understand."

"When are we leaving?" Nightpaw asked.

Mistyfoot looked up at the sun. Evening was sliding into nightfall. She would have to leave again almost as soon as she got back to camp at this rate, if she were even allowed to leave at all. Resolved, reisgned, and fluttering with anxiety… there was only one time to leave:

"Right now."


	16. Chapter 14

**Chapter 14**

"_You were far too harsh, Tinystar,"_ Sandstorm's voice insisted.

"Yeah," Graystripe agreed. "Sounds like we've been going about this all wrong."

From where she was, crouched near the very entrance of the medicine den, Shadepaw could hear the worry in Tinystar's voice: "What else can I do? Brackenfur's omen was so grave… until we know what it means we cannot take chances."

Fury bloomed in Shadepaw's pelt. She dug her claws into the earth. _Why is no one considering _my_ interpretation?_ If the others had just listened to her, she wouldn't be so upset! Not only that, but Nightpaw's frustration wouldn't be feeding into her, doubling down and making her snap at every little thing! Just this morning Frostfur had chastisted her for being too harsh about moss when Shadepaw's pelt felt like it was blazing with anger beyond her control.

"We'll keep an eye out for them," Sandstorm promised. "Mistyfoot can join the dusk patrol, and I don't think Sootfur would mind Nightpaw's company hunting."

Shadepaw sighed. She felt so broken right now, so out of control. It was maddening.

"You shouldn't be eavesdropping, Shadepaw."

Brackenfur's calm voice only sent a trickle of anger down Shadepaw's spine. She got to her paws and padded over to her mentor. "They're talking about the omen," she muttered, "and how upset it's making Mistyfoot and Nightpaw."

The golden brown tom's fur did not stir. Shadepaw wanted to rake her claws through her mentor's pelt, wanted him to feel the constant waves of anger and frustration she was feeling. How else could she make him understand?

"They're only doing what they think is best," was all he said.

Shadepaw bristled. "I can _feel_ Nightpaw's feelings, Brackenfur! He's so hurt and sad, and it's all _your _fault, for insisting that what you saw was right!"

Brackenfur's eyes flashed. "Shadepaw," he stated, "we do not _know_ who saw the true vision!"

"I _know_ that," Shadepaw snapped, "but why did you have to insist on the _worst_ one being the right one?! Don't you see the damage its doing?"

Brackenfur's ears flattened. He said nothing, not meeting Shadepaw's eye. There was some satisfaction in that – it rippled through Shadepaw's pelt like a cool wave, quenching the fires of her roiling emotions.

_Wait,_ Shadepaw thought, letting the feeling wash over her. She felt satisfied that she gave Brackenfur pause, yes, but… _That feeling… that's not me._

_That's Nightpaw!_

She delved deeper into the feeling. The frustration that had been stuck to her pelt like a burr was gone, now. Almost nowhere to be found. Instead there was a sense of relief like a cool splash in a stream, and the sense that Nightpaw felt less alone than before. Not only that, but there was a sense of freedom, of adventure…

Shadepaw didn't know what made Nightpaw feel like this, but it was worrying, that sense of freedom. Like nothing was binding him down any longer, not even Clan borders.

* * *

Shadepaw had no idea where she was.

She was padding through a dark forest, meandering through trees she had never seen before in her life. Even the very slope of the land and the earth beneath her paws was alien – strange and new and unknown. There were hardly any defining features that Shadepaw could pick out in this place, other than the sense of unknown.

When she scented Spottedleaf, it was a relief. Shadepaw picked up her pace and dodged roots and brambles to reach the lovely StarClan she-cat, who was sitting in a pool of moonlight in the middle of a circle of ferns. The dappled she-cat acknowledged Shadepaw with a gentle tilt of her head.

"Spottedleaf!" Shadepaw breathed. She slowed her pace and sat alongside the starry she-cat. "What is this place? I've never met you here before."

Spottedleaf bent and touched her nose to Shadepaw's in greeting. Her sweet scent wreathed comfortingly around Shadepaw, and the unfamiliar forest felt just a little more safe.

"I'm sorry, little one," Spottedleaf mewed. "Worry not for this place. I sensed that you have been troubled lately."

Shadepaw leaned into Spottedleaf, letting the StarClan medicine cat support her. "I feel like I'm rooted in place, Spottedleaf," she meowed. It was so easy to talk to Spottedleaf, as if the former ThunderClan medicine cat could draw out Shadepaw's worries like poison in a wound. "I'm being forced to watch things happen, and I can't say a word."

Spottedleaf wrapped her tail around Shadepaw. "Your destiny is in your own paws," she purred gently. "You need only follow your heart to know what's right."

Shadepaw sighed, feeling her temper soothed and her frustrations quenched. "Thank you, Spottedleaf."

"Any time, little one."

* * *

_Follow your heart._

Shadepaw woke with the message in mind and Spottedleaf's scent in her nose. She knew what she had to do.

Dawn was almost upon the forest as Shadepaw rummaged through the herb stores, trying to be as quiet as possible. She pulled out every traveling herb she knew, feeling as if Spottedleaf were guiding her paws.

She could feel Nightpaw in the distance. He hadn't come back to camp, and Shadepaw knew from his feeling of companionship that Mistyfoot had not, either – and she had a feeling that they wouldn't be back for a long time.

Shadepaw bundled up her herbs and was just about ready to leave when she looked back at Brackenfur's den and saw the golden-brown tom staring right back at her from the shadows.

For a moment, neither of them said anything.

"Are you going to stop me?" Shadepaw asked, her voice steady.

Brackenfur shook his head, his amber eyes flashing with emotion. "No," he said, gently. "Go, Shadepaw. I know not where StarClan is taking you, but you must follow the destiny they have laid out."

Shadepaw frowned. "I still think I'm right about that vision, Brackenfur."

"I hope you are," Brackenfur admitted. "Go, Shadepaw."

Shadepaw picked up the herbs in her jaws. Part of her wanted to apologize further to Brackenfur – but she knew she didn't have time. This was her destiny, and it meant leaving Brackenfur behind, for now. There would be time to work things out between them later, she hoped.

* * *

It was a struggle to navigate the forest with her jaws stuffed. Her eyes were watering and her nose was clogged, and Shadepaw found herself finding her way to Nightpaw using the connection between them rather than scent or sight. It didn't help that dawn hadn't yet arrived, and she kept tripping over roots and tangled plants, stumbling around the forest she'd been born in as if it were as unfamiliar as the one in her dream.

She found them by the Thunderpath, huddled beneath one of the Twoleg monsters that were scattered here and there along it. So far the massive, boxy, bright yellow creature had not moved – but its stink penetrated even the herbs clogging Shadepaw's senses.

It was Nightpaw who spotted her, and he did not look the least bit surprised. Shadepaw felt at the boundaries between them and though the prickly wall was still there, she felt relief coming through the cracks.

Mistyfoot, however, was bristling with shock. "What are you doing here?" she hissed, crawling out from beneath the Twoleg monster.

Shadepaw had to drop her herbs to speak. "I'm coming with you."

"What?!" Mistyfoot breathed, eyes wide. She turned to Nightpaw. "You _told_ her?! After you said you hadn't told-"

"He didn't tell me a thing," Shadepaw insisted, willing Mistyfoot to believe her.

The blue-gray she-cat looked between Nightpaw and Shadepaw, her eyes flashing skeptically. Shadepaw recalled her vision in the forest, the mist swirling out of Mistyfoot's pelt and how warm and protective it was – that feeling was in her gaze now as she looked upon the two of them.

"I'm sorry, Shadepaw, you can't come," Mistyfoot meowed. "It's too dangerous."

"We don't even know where we're going, really," Nightpaw added.

"That doesn't matter," Shadepaw meowed. "I know that my destiny lies where you're going. I can feel it in my heart – and are you seriously telling me that you have no need for a medicine cat?"

Mistyfoot's jaw opened, and then shut. Nightpaw twitched his tail, embarrassment flooding out of him. Shadepaw raised her chin with satisfaction.

"I think she's right, Mistyfoot," Nightpaw sighed. He looked up at Mistyfoot pleadingly. "We could use a medicine cat."

Mistyfoot's tail twitched, and Shadepaw wondered if she was too overwhelmed to handle this right now. Her eyes were full of emotion. "I cannot guarantee your safety," she said quietly.

"We can guarantee our own," Shadepaw pointed out. "I'm not helpless, and neither is Nightpaw."

Mistyfoot blinked. "Very well." There was an immense amount of reluctance in her mew. "Let's go."


	17. Chapter 15

**Chapter 15**

_Mistyfoot led the way to Fourtrees_ as dawn began to break over the forest.

She picked up the pace, nerves firing in her legs. They were going to be late – what if the others left because she wasn't there in time? What if they hadn't come at all? The traveling herbs she'd devoured in quick gulps threatened to rear their bitter taste again.

Behind her, Nightpaw and Shadepaw kept up. Mistyfoot could hardly look at them. Nightpaw was bad enough, but _two_ apprentices? How could she keep them both safe, when she'd already proven a failure with Shrewpaw? Not to mention what the others would think about Shadepaw's sudden joining… but it wasn't as if Mistyfoot could say no. Their group could use all the help they could get.

Mistyfoot forced herself to glance back. Shadepaw's herb bundles were now split between she and Nightpaw, but the two never seemed to need to talk much to communicate. The young medicine cat apprentice had brought as much as she could carry – the whole group could journey without fear of hunger, at least for a time.

_Having her along is a boon,_ Mistyfoot insisted to herself. _I'm sure the others will see it easily._

_I hope._

* * *

To Mistyfoot's relief, the others were waiting by the Great Rock. Feathertail and Stormfur were talking quietly, while Crowpaw huddled in the shadows, looking grumpy. Stoneheart was on the Great Rock itself, scanning the clearing for others. His eyes caught on Mistyfoot, and he raised his tail in greeting before leaping down.

Mistyfoot led Nightpaw and Shadepaw down the slope. It was strange entering Fourtrees in the daylight, without the press of other Clan cats or the fun of the moonlit Gatherings. Her heart sank as she saw the looks the other cats gave upon seeing Shadepaw.

Crowpaw was bristling. "What, did you bring all of ThunderClan, too?" he spat.

"We were worried you weren't going to make it," Stoneheart commented, lashing his tail at Crowpaw. "Why is she here?"

"StarClan asked me to come," Shadepaw meowed, dropping her herbs. "A medicine cat surely would come in useful for this journey."

"Besides, no one's complaining about Stormfur," Nightpaw put in.

Mistyfoot had to commend Shadepaw for her calmness in the face of her reception. Stoneheart looked back at Stormfur and Feathertail, neither of whom voiced any objections. Crowpaw looked cross, but he said nothing, refusing to look Mistyfoot in the eye.

"It's settled, then," Mistyfoot decided.

Shadepaw began to dole out her herbs, dividing them neatly with her paws. The others accepted them with awkward thanks, while Crowpaw didn't even speak to her. Mistyfoot wanted to rake his ears.

"You sure about this?" Stormfur's breath was in her ear, sour with herbs.

Mistyfoot's spine prickled at his closeness. "It's not my first choice," she admitted quietly. Her heart raced with the thought of trying to protect all of these apprentices. What if one of them died? Tinystar would be even more furious, and heartbroken too. She might never be able to return to ThunderClan, hero or otherwise.

Feathertail's tufted ears flicked. "Everything so far has been guided by StarClan," she soothed, looking at Crowpaw most of all. "Perhaps this was their intent all along."

Mistyfoot swallowed. It wasn't entirely comforting, but it was better than nothing. Even Crowpaw seemed to think so, reluctantly chewing on the herbs at his paws. He grunted his thanks to Shadepaw. Mistyfoot assumed he thought that was a proper thank you.

"We need to get moving," Stormfur announced to the others.

Crowpaw cleaned leaf scraps from his muzzle. "Do we even know where we're going?"

Mistyfoot swallowed as all eyes turned to her. "StarClan didn't show me how to get there," she admitted. "But I believe the lake exists- otherwise why would Mosspaw bring me there and say she was waiting for me?"

Shadepaw tilted her head, and Nightpaw began whispering in her ear.

Crowpaw lashed his tail. "Well, if the vision came to _me_ I'd know where to start," he growled. "WindClan cats know the stars well."

Mistyfoot felt a spike of worry. "Barley or Ravenpaw might know – Ravenpaw told me that the lake might be real, after all."

"It's the only lead we have," Stoneheart pointed out.

Stormfur nodded in agreement.

"Then let's go!" Feathertail meowed, her eyes sparkling. "There's not a moment to lose!"

"Crowpaw, will you lead the way?" Stormfur asked.

Crowpaw curled his lip. "I don't know how you think I'm going to help half a Clan sneak their way through the moors!" he snapped.

"You're the only one who can," Shadepaw pointed out.

Crowpaw glanced at Shadepaw, his eyes flashing. Then he turned his back. "Fine," he snapped. "Come on."

Mistyfoot felt a pang of sympathy for him. This would be the last time for a long time that he would tread on the moorland. She looked back into the forest, at ThunderClan territory. How long would it be before she came home? _Would_ she even make it home?

Would any of them see their Clans again?

* * *

Crowpaw led the way across WindClan territory. Mistyfoot was nervous every pawstep of the way – with a patrol likely to come across them at any moment, and Twolegs wandering the Thunderpath, they group had no choice but to cut right across the moors.

StarClan seemed to be on their side, however – they made it without any difficulty, and Crowpaw looked annoyingly smug about the whole thing as they crossed WindClan's boundaries and headed for the Twoleg lands beyond.

"We need to keep a lookout," Stormfur pointed out, lengthening his stride. He overtook Crowpaw in a few bounds, stopping the group before they went any further with a flick of his tail. "There are rats and dogs around here."

Crowpaw's whiskers twitched with annoyance.

"If we get injured here, the journey ends before it's even begun," Shadepaw added, narrowing her amber eyes at Crowpaw. The dark gray apprentice hung back, sulking.

Mistyfoot resisted rolling her eyes. Was he _only_ going to be a pain in the tail?

"We should try to make it to Highstones before dark," Nightpaw offered, looking up at the sky. Mistyfoot followed suit – it was already midday, and the sun would disappear soon.

Feathertail's tail twitched. "Wouldn't staying with Barley and Ravenpaw a night be a good thing?" she suggested. "We could build up our strength there and start fresh tomorrow."

"Makes sense," Mistyfoot agreed. "That way we can get all the information we need from them before we go."

Stoneheart nodded. "Better than heading out blind." Stormfur and Shadepaw both nodded in agreement as well.

Mistyfoot glanced over at Nightpaw and Crowpaw. Would they protest? But Nightpaw nodded after a moment, and Crowpaw only groaned at the futility of voicing his opinion. Mistyfoot frowned, but felt a little relief that he hadn't fought Feathertail's idea. _Crowpaw is annoying, but I don't want him to not have a say._

"Then it's decided," Stormfur mewed decisively. "Mistyfoot, Stoneheart, watch our flanks. We're heading out."

Mistyfoot took her place at the outskirts of the group, huddling the apprentices and Feathertail in the middle of she and Stoneheart while Stormfur took the lead. She watched the countryside roll out before her – this was the farthest outside of Clan territory she had ever been, and had never thought she'd find herself going any further.

Up ahead there was a Twoleg nest, where Cloudtail had reportedly been kept hostage moons ago. Mistyfoot often wondered about the truth of that story, but she had been a kit when it happened. Fields of corn and wheat stretched for as far as she could see all around the house, and Mistyfoot wondered if they were in for more of these sights as they went. _Twolegs can't be everywhere, can they?_

They reached a fenced-in Twoleg field, and Stormfur paused them again with a flick of his tail. The group halted while Stormfur and Stoneheart sniffed for threats. Mistyfoot's ear caught Crowpaw's grunt: "He's not even part of the prophecy, why's _he_ in charge?"

Mistyfoot glanced over at the dark gray cat. If they didn't figure out how to deal with Crowpaw's attitude, it would definitely threaten the journey.

It only took a moment for Stormfur to give the go-ahead to keep moving. They padded around the Twoleg fence and headed for Barley's barn, which rose promisingly in the distance. Despite the traveling herbs, Mistyfoot felt her belly rumble. The mice there were always fat off of the Twoleg grain.

They managed to make their way to the barn without any Twoleg spotting them. Mistyfoot could only imagine a Twoleg attacking the group out of fear of their sheer numbers. They passed Barley and Ravenpaw's scent markers, smelling strongly of hay and mouse, and Mistyfoot felt herself relax.

Barley met them before they entered the barn. The black and white tom was large and plump, with a few scars showing an early life of hardship. His eyes went wide as the moon as he took in all the cats.

"What's this now?" he wondered. He turned back to the barn and called, "Ravenpaw!"

Ravenpaw appeared quickly, sliding out of a gap in the barn door like a shadow. He looked so slender beside his mate, and he raised his tail in greeting when his eyes rested on Mistyfoot. His eyes sparkled with confusion, but his mew was warm: "Welcome!"

Mistyfoot stepped forward. "Ravenpaw," she meowed. "I'm sorry for the intrusion, but… we're going to the lake."

Ravenpaw's eyes flashed. "The lake?"

"I asked you about it not long ago," Mistyfoot reminded him. "The truth is… StarClan wants us to go."

"All of you?" Ravenpaw looked at the group. "It must be important, then. Come on inside."

Mistyfoot followed Ravenpaw into the barn. The smell of hay assaulted her senses, but beneath it was the tantalizing scent of mouse. The barn was made of old Twoleg wood that stood tall and made a roof over their head like a gathering of tree branches. Hay was stacked into mountains in the corners. It was quiet and warm inside.

"I'll go and fetch some mice," Barley offered. He padded off quickly, before any cat could offer to help – Barley was characteristically uncomfortable around large amounts of strangers.

Ravenpaw tucked his paws beneath him as he settled on a soft mound of hay. He gestured for the others to do the same. Mistyfoot curled her tail around her paws, kneading the hay into a suitable spot. Crowpaw, behind her, swore about hay poking his backside.

"Do your leaders know about this?" Ravenpaw asked when they were all settled. "Did Tinystar really let Nightpaw _and_ Shadepaw come along with you?"

Mistyfoot shook her head. "He doesn't know," she meowed. "None of them do."

Ravenpaw's eyes flashed again. "Well," he breathed. "That's… something. You're all welcome to stay here for tonight. I'll help you to Highstones in the morning, and point you in the right direction."

Crowpaw bristled. "We can make it to Highstones," he chided. "What, are we kits?"

"Crowpaw!" hushed Feathertail.

Ravenpaw seemed unbothered by Crowpaw's attitude. "There's been more Twolegs on the Thunderpath than ever before this past season," he pointed out mildly. "It's too dangerous to get close to them. I know where they don't go, so I'll sneak you past them tomorrow."

"Thank you, Ravenpaw," Stoneheart offered.

Ravenpaw looked them all over and sighed. "It's no problem," he said simply. "Happy to help."

* * *

The sun was just rising as the group made it to Highstones.

Ravenpaw had been right – sneaking around the Twolegs and their monsters had been difficult. Mistyfoot looked back anxiously. She had never seen so many Twolegs in one place, and their monsters hunkered in the dark like predators about to pounce. On what, Mistyfoot had no idea – with her view, Mistyfoot saw that the monsters lined the whole Thunderpath, all the way to Twolegplace. It made her paws tremble.

"Should I… go in?" Shadepaw wondered. Her voice caught Mistyfoot's attention, and she saw the medicine cat apprentice approach Mothermouth with worry in her eye. Shadepaw looked at the others. "You know, to see if StarClan wants to say anything?"

"I don't know if that's a good idea," Stoneheart offered, sympathy in his eyes. "We can't stay here too long."

Shadepaw looked down at her paws, and then back up. "Alright," she agreed.

"Now, you see those fields?" Ravenpaw meowed. Mistyfoot's ears pricked and she bounded up to the boulder where Ravenpaw sat. Stormfur was there too, looking out at the lands beyond Highstones. Mistyfoot's eyes widened at the vastness of it all. "From what I've heard, you'll want to head for the sunset. That'll take you across a few Thunderpaths, but it shouldn't be difficult."

"How long do you think it will take?" Feathertail wondered.

Ravenpaw frowned. "I don't know," he admitted. "Two moons? A season? I doubt it would be more to go there and back."

"We'll be back before leaf-bare," Stormfur mewed, his tone optimistic. "Sounds good."

_Hopefully that's enough time,_ Mistyfoot thought. She caught worry in every cat's eye as they contemplated the length of time.

Crowpaw climbed up the rock, squeezing between Stormfur and Ravenpaw. "Did those strangers ever mention any star they followed?" he asked.

Ravenpaw's whiskers twitched. "No, just that they followed the sunset."

Crowpaw looked smug. "Then we'll be following the Father," he stated firmly.

"The what?" asked Nightpaw.

Crowpaw looked down at Nightpaw, his chin tilted proudly. "It's a _WindClan_ thing," he sneered.

Nightpaw looked irritated. Mistyfoot flicked her tail against the small tom's nose from above. If Crowpaw's knowledge of the stars could keep them from getting lost, then it would be worth his smugness about it.

"The Father?" Shadepaw repeated. She looked up at Crowpaw eagerly. "Could you teach me about it?"

If Crowpaw raised his chin any further, Mistyfoot thought he might look like a stork, especially with the way he puffed out his chest self-importantly. "Of course!" he crowed.

Ravenpaw chuckled in amusement. His eyes laid evenly on the traveling cats, and he meowed, "Good luck to you all. Something is wrong in the forest – I can tell, even if I'm not a Clan cat anymore. I hope you uncover the truth."

"So do we," Feathertail mewed.

Mistyfoot touched her nose to Ravenpaw's. "Thank you for your help," she meowed.

Ravenpaw didn't reply. He looked at them all one last time and bounded off of their perch, his tail raised as he padded back towards his barn.

Mistyfoot watched him go… and then trailed her eye over to the forest. ThunderClan would be waking now, discovering that three of their members were gone. The other Clans would find out soon, too. They would all be in fits of worry, no doubt – but, as Mistyfoot looked out at the world beyond Highstones, she knew that Ravenpaw was right. Something was wrong, and they had to find out what. A quick glance at the others showed they were all feeling the same way.

"We should be moving," Stoneheart meowed, breaking the silence. His pale blue eyes flashed in the morning light. "We've a long way to go."

Wordlessly, the group gathered together and began to descend the slope. Mistyfoot's shoulder brushed against Stoneheart's as she walked by her brother's side. Shadepaw and Nightpaw walked together, their tails touching. Crowpaw looked back once before stalking ahead, his sharp shoulders outlined in orange light. Stormfur and Feathertail led the way, tails held high.

Mistyfoot looked back, and already Highstones was small behind them. She could hear in her ears the voices of her Clanmates, hear their worried cries as they looked for their missing Clanmates.

She forced herself to look ahead. This was only the beginning.


	18. Chapter 16

**Chapter 16**

_The sun arced overhead as the _Clan cats plodded onward. Mistyfoot found herself marveling at the new world around her – Highstones was a dot on the horizon and ahead was a land no Clan cat had likely ever seen before. The world swept outward in grassy plains broken by an occasional tree, and the hills were gentle slopes.

Crowpaw looked the most confident on this type of terrain, stretching his legs as far as they could go as he trotted. Mistyfoot wasn't surprised that he was so sure-footed – this land was very much like the open moorland, complete with the occasional gust of cool wind.

Ahead, Stormfur and Feathertail were walking together, their heads bent in conversation. Mistyfoot's ears twitched. What were they talking about? _Must be a littermate thing…_

Her own littermate was off on his own, walking strongly in the tall grass. Mistyfoot lamented that she and Stoneheart would likely never be so close as Stormfur and Feathertail… or Nightpaw and Shadepaw, who were walking together as well, with Shadepaw easily compensating for her brother's shorter legs near the back of the group.

Mistyfoot couldn't help but feel alone. Though they were on this journey together, each cat walked within their own little group. Surely the length of the journey would eventually bring them together, right? Yet as of now, Mistyfoot had little hope of that.

She focused on the earth beneath her paws. Unfamiliar, yes, but that didn't stop her heart from racing with excitement. They were on their way, and walking paths no Clan cat had ever tread, on a mission from StarClan! Surely that outweighed any other misgivings she had?

"Whoa!" Nightpaw's voice rose in confusion. "What's that?"

The group stopped. Nightpaw's ice-blue eyes were round, fixated on something not too far off. Mistyfoot tilted her head. She'd never seen such a thing before – fluffy and white, with little dark legs poking out from the fluff. They walked behind a thin Twoleg fence, supported by wooden posts.

"No idea," Stoneheart confessed.

"Pfft," Crowpaw scoffed, "you forest cats! That's a _sheep_."

Mistyfoot frowned, looking down at the lean apprentice. Did he have to look so smug?

"That's right," Feathertail offered airily. At least she didn't have a condescending glimmer in her eye when she spoke of the creatures. "Don't worry; they won't hurt you. We sometimes gather their wool for bedding."

"It's _so_ soft," Crowpaw sighed.

Nightpaw and Shadepaw glanced at one another. Nightpaw grumbled, "Well, they stink!"

Stormfur flicked his tail. "We should move away from them," he meowed. "Twolegs often use dogs to move the sheep around. We don't want to get caught in their sights – those dogs are tireless."

There was little disagreement there – Stormfur led the group a few paces away from the sheep and they continued on. Mistyfoot paused a moment to look back at the fluffy creatures. She'd never seen one of those in the forest – their shape reminded her of Cloudtail, and her heart ached for home.

_Still…_ _I wonder what that wool feels like…_

She caught up to Nightpaw and Shadepaw. They were obviously discussing the sheep, with Shadepaw's eyes sparkling. "Isn't it amazing just how we all know different things like that?"

Nightpaw stuck out his tongue and complained, "Yeah, well, I'd like to see Crowpaw's reaction when a deer jumps in front of him!"

Shadepaw purred, and Mistyfoot couldn't help but twitch her whiskers. Beyond Nightpaw's annoyance, Shadepaw had a good point – each cat here brought knowledge that only their Clan could give them. Even if this journey should somehow fail, it would be an unheard of learning opportunity.

Mistyfoot lengthened her stride until she caught up with Stoneheart. Her littermate's eyes were darting from side to side, his tail-tip flicking. He was clearly worried. She touched her muzzle to his shoulder.

"What's wrong?" she murmured.

Stoneheart frowned. "Did StarClan even tell you _why_ we're going to this lake?"

Mistyfoot swallowed. "No," she admitted. "I wish they had, though. And that prophecy… can't StarClan ever be clear?"

"This journey won't be easy," Stoneheart agreed. He glanced back, towards Nightpaw and Shadepaw. "Especially with young apprentices."

Mistyfoot's throat tightened. "I know," she managed. She didn't look her brother in the eye. Would that she could talk to him about Shrewpaw, and her own misgivings about the apprentices! Stoneheart just wasn't the same cat he'd been when they were in ThunderClan together. She missed his old eagerness more than ever.

"So," Stoneheart's voice lightened, "are you still charging for deputyship?"

Mistyfoot blinked at her brother in surprise. He must not have wanted to linger on the darker side of their journey, either. "Y-Yes," she admitted. "I do still want it."

Stoneheart flicked his tail towards the apprentices. "Get practicing, then," he joked. "A deputy has to have trained an apprentice, you know."

Mistyfoot's fur grew hot. _I did,_ she thought miserably, _and I failed._

She excused herself, hopefully not too hastily. The last thing she wanted was Stoneheart interrogating her about the stricken look on her face, and the last thing she wanted to do was hear everyone's opinions on what happened to Shrewpaw. No doubt they'd think her unfit, especially on this journey with so many apprentices.

Mistyfoot nearly rammed into Stormfur – she dodged his backside just in time and found herself stumbling to his side. As she was regaining her footing she couldn't help but notice the sharp way Stormfur and Feathertail's heads rose to look at her – had she interrupted something?

_Great,_ Mistyfoot thought. _Just great. Not awkward at all!_

"Hey, Mistyfoot!" mewed Stormfur. His voice was friendly, and his eyes sparkled. Feathertail's look was much the same way, and she raised her tail.

Mistyfoot felt a little relief grow – at least not much seemed to offend the two RiverClan cats.

Feathertail blinked at Mistyfoot. "So, what do you think we'll be facing on our way?" she asked.

Mistyfoot frowned. "I don't know," she meowed. _I guess it makes sense that it's on everyone's mind._ "StarClan didn't show me that."

"We'll make it, I'm sure," Stormfur said cheerily, raising his chin. "We're Clan cats! There's nothing we can't do. Though," he lowered his chin, "I don't think we'll be fishing any time soon!"

Mistyfoot purred. "I'm sorry," she said.

Stormfur shrugged. "It's fine – I'm sure there'll be fish in that lake you saw. I'll teach everyone how to fish then!"

"I wonder if any of them would want to learn to swim?" Feathertail wondered, looking back over her shoulder.

Mistyfoot bristled at the thought of getting so wet. She didn't miss Stormfur's whiskers twitch in amusement when he looked at her.

"Thunderpath ahead!" called Crowpaw from the back.

Mistyfoot was grateful for the distraction. She peered ahead and found that the WindClan tom was right – a Twoleg monster was streaking down a Thunderpath just ahead.

"We should stop when we get there," Stoneheart suggested.

"Right," Stormfur meowed. "Come on!"

The gray tom raised his thick tail and led the group to the verge of the Thunderpath with a brisk trot. The Thunderpath was sitting atop a small hill, and the group stopped a fox-length away, hiding themselves in the taller grasses. The smell was atrocious, every cat wrinkling their nose at the sour scent. More worrying was that beyond the Thunderpath in front of the cats there was a second, just as loud and deadly.

"So how are we doing this?" Nightpaw wondered. "I've never crossed a Thunderpath before, let alone two in a row."

"It'll be fine so long as you take it easy," Stoneheart meowed. He raised his head authoritatively, and Mistyfoot reflected that as a ShadowClan cat he'd have to know how to cross a Thunderpath better than any of them – the forest's Thunderpath cut them off from the rest of the Clans back in the forest. Any warrior or apprentice had to cross one at least once in their life, on their way to Highstones, but that was just for the one trip. "There's grass between each Thunderpath. We'll take it in groups, one Thunderpath at a time."

"Feathertail and I will go together," Stormfur decided immediately.

Stoneheart nodded. "Mistyfoot, I'll take you. The apprentices can go together. Sound fine?"

Crowpaw looked cross, but he nodded.

"Good," Stoneheart meowed. His ears twitched as a Twoleg monster roared by. "We'll wait for a big gap between the monsters. Do _not_ go until it's clear on both sides!"

Stormfur and Feathertail nodded, both pushing through the grass together. Mistyfoot's heart beat in her ears as two monsters roared past. There was silence on the Thunderpath when Stormfur and Feathertail darted across. Mistyfoot saw them both land on the grass in between the Thunderpaths safely.

"All right you three," Stoneheart meowed, "your turn. Take it slow."

Mistyfoot dug her claws into the earth as the three apprentices lined up on the verge. She could see even Crowpaw's tail trembling as a series of Twoleg monsters roared by. Mistyfoot wondered if the apprentices would ever get the chance to go – eventually the traffic cleared, and the apprentices bolted across the Thunderpath, making it safely to the middle. Mistyfoot sighed in relief.

"Our turn," Stoneheart mewed.

Mistyfoot nodded, stepping up to the verge with her littermate. She remembered her apprentice journey to Highstones, with Tinystar by her side. She'd wished then that Stoneheart had been with her – now she wished she had Tinystar, too, with his sureness and confidence.

"Now!" Stoneheart mewed.

Mistyfoot kept in stride with her brother as they crossed the gray stone river. The heat of the path stung her paws, and reaching the grassy middle was a relief, even if the land was oily.

"That was _crazy!"_ Nightpaw breathed, his fur fluffed. "How do you do that every moon, Shadepaw?"

Shadepaw licked her brother's ear. "I've only been to the Moonstone a few times. It's still scary!"

Crowpaw narrowed his eyes. "You'd think you wouldn't slow us down so much!" he muttered.

Shadepaw bristled. "Excuse me?!" she hissed. Nightpaw stiffened beside his sister, glaring at Crowpaw.

Crowpaw lifted his chin. Whatever he was going to say, though, was interrupted by Stoneheart. The stocky gray tom put himself between the apprentices, glowering down at Crowpaw with pale eyes that made Crowpaw look away.

"Alright, are we ready for the next?" Stoneheart asked simply. Mistyfoot admiring how unphased he seemed – ShadowClan stoicism had its benefits when it came to reassuring others, it seemed, and when ignoring antagonistic WindClan apprentices.

"We can't stay here," Stormfur reasoned. "So, yeah."

Mistyfoot looked across the next Thunderpath. "There's a hedge," she mentioned, nodding to the wall of greenery. "And Twoleg nests."

"Then we'll need to be more organized," Stoneheart insisted. "We can't get lost in a Twolegplace."

"Let's just _go,_" Crowpaw groaned, getting to his paws. "The Thunderpath is clear!"

Mistyfoot got to her paws. "Crowpaw, don't!" she snapped.

But the gray-black cat was already at the verge of the next Thunderpath.

"Crowpaw!" snarled Stoneheart.

Almost defiantly, Crowpaw looked back at the others. He placed a single paw on the Thunderpath, sneering. Then he began to walk across.

Stoneheart was on his paws immediately, tearing the grass beneath his paws. Mistyfoot followed, feeling the breath of the others on her heels as they streaked towards the Thunderpath. Mistyfoot's heart was in her ears – she could feel the ground begin to shake from an oncoming monster as they bounded across the Thunderpath.

Crowpaw streaked across the Thunderpath, his tail bristling as the monster roared closer. Stoneheart caught him, thankfully, grabbing his scruff in his jaws. Together they stumbled into the hedge – Shadepaw followed, crashing ungracefully into the leaves.

The monster, however, was still coming.

Feathertail froze in the middle of the stone river, screeching in alarm. Nightpaw rammed into her backside, and the two tumbled. Mistyfoot's heart was in her throat – she leaped for the cats left behind, fastening her jaws in Feathertail's scruff as the monster roared ever closer, deafening the world around her.

Mistyfoot pulled Feathertail to her paws, catching a glimpse of Stormfur doing the same with Nightpaw. Looking up, Mistyfoot was blinded by the shine of a monster's lights. With a horrible screech the monster swerved, its round paws smoking as it twisted its shiny body around. Mistyfoot bolted, feeling Feathertail beside her.

The two she-cats slammed into the hedge together, sticks tearing at their pelts and leaves blinding their eyes. The sound of the monster had stopped suddenly, and the air smelled acrid like a burning forest. Mistyfoot felt sick as they pushed out of the hedge and into a Twoleg yard, with close-cropped grass and the smell of unfamiliar everything all around.

"Stormfur!" yowled Feathertail. _"Stormfur!"_

"_Nightpaw!"_ Mistyfoot wailed.

They stopped, panting, leaning against one another for support. Both of them were shaking. Mistyfoot stared at her paws, at the blood seeping between her toes from her torn pads. Feathertail, still trembling, leaned down to lick her own bloodied paws.

"Did they make it?" Mistyfoot wondered hoarsely. She'd seen Stormfur grab Nightpaw, and the monster turn… but nothing after that. She couldn't see or scent any of the others, either. Slowly her heart began to ease its frantic beating, though it felt like a hawk had it in its talons. "Oh StarClan…"

Feathertail's body couldn't seem to stop trembling. "Stormfur…" she breathed, stricken.

Mistyfoot realized that she had to take charge here – without Stormfur, Feathertail just couldn't cope. She rested her muzzle against Feathertail's shoulder.

"We'll find them," she promised. "All of them. Together."


	19. Chapter 17

**Chapter 17**

_Hot breath burned against Shadepaw's hind_ legs. She was at her limits, tearing the turf beneath her paws in an attempt to outrun the slavering beast at her heels. Any moment now she could imagine those jaws snapping down on her, and then the darkness that would follow. Her stomach twisted, her lungs burning.

The Twoleg backyard that Shadepaw had ended up in was only so big. She hadn't had enough time to figure out where she was before the dog had spotted her and nearly took the fur off her tail. Shadepaw knew she had to think fast, but she just couldn't seem to gather her thoughts.

_How did Father do this?_ She thought, breathing raggedly. She'd heard stories from the elders about how Tinystar and Sandstorm had raced dogs seasons ago. _He must have been mad as a hare!_

A gray shape leaped down from the fence, landing between Shadepaw and the dog. Shadepaw skidded to a stop, turning to figure out what had happened.

"Stoneheart!" she called breathlessly.

The stocky gray tom dwarfed the dog, which was far smaller than it had seemed to Shadepaw. Stoneheart screeched at the creature and batted it with his paws, sending it whimpering for its nest. Stoneheart grunted with satisfaction, while Shadepaw's pelt burned with embarrassment.

_If only I were a warrior!_ She thought. _He made it look so easy._

"Are you alright?" Stoneheart asked.

Shadepaw nodded. "Winded," she breathed. As she looked at Stoneheart, she recalled that the last time she'd seen him, he'd had Crowpaw by the scruff and was diving into the hedge. Fear shot through Shadepaw. Where was everyone else? "Where's Crowpaw?"

Stoneheart narrowed his eyes. "That mouse-brain and I got separated in the hedge. I don't know where he ended up."

"And the others?" Shadepaw wondered, her heart trembling.

Stoneheart shook his head. "I don't know. I heard yowling…" He looked over the thick hedge that sheltered this yard from the Thunderpath. Shadepaw's stomach twisted. _Nightpaw and Mistyfoot had been behind us. Did we both lose our littermates?_

She reached out with her senses, and found only that she could feel Nightpaw. He was terrified, wherever he was, but he wasn't alone, and he wasn't terrified of whom he was with. Relief washed over Shadepaw, just a little. At least Nightpaw was okay.

But if Mistyfoot wasn't… what would that mean for the prophecy?

"We'll find them," Stoneheart said crisply. "Come on."

Shadepaw watched him leap easily onto the top of the Twoleg fence. Shadepaw's pads burned from skidding along the Thunderpath and the grass, but this wasn't the time for pain. She gave her pads a quick lick before scrabbling her way up the fence.

The wooden barrier was surprisingly easy to balance on, so long as Shadepaw kept her tail level, and Shadepaw marveled at how much she could see of the other yards from up here – the yards bent, like they were arranged in a circle, and the whole area seemed to be surrounded by that thick hedge. Peering between the Twoleg nests, Shadepaw could spot the curve of a Thunderpath – but there wasn't much activity on it, thank StarClan.

Stoneheart led them along the fence until they reached another yard. Shadepaw tried to scent the air, but her glands filled with the smells of Twolegs. She couldn't idenfity the other cats even if she tried. Even sensing Nightpaw was difficult now, with her head pounding from fatigue catching up to her.

A screech rose over the Twoleg fences.

"Crowpaw!" Shadepaw breathed.

Stoneheart's shoulder fur bristled. "Hurry," he insisted. "If any cat is going to make Crowpaw screech, it's going to be me."

Shadepaw couldn't tell if the ShadowClan tom really meant that – but Stoneheart put on speed, and Shadepaw had to follow, even if her paws were throbbing. They twisted and turned together, following Twoleg fences until they reached the source of the screeching, two yards away from where Shadepaw had been.

Crowpaw was backed up against a Twoleg nest, bristling from ears to tail – Shadepaw's heart dropped. He was surrounded by two burly kittypets, both of them sporting scars. She glanced at Stoneheart, who seemed to be assessing the situation.

_What can we do?_ Shadepaw wondered, fear spiking in her pelt. _We can't be stopped here!_

* * *

Evening light turned the Twolegplace orange as Mistyfoot and Feathertail padded along the fenced-in yards. Mistyfoot kept her tail near Feathertail – feeling the she-cat's breath on her fur was comforting, and Mistyfoot guessed that Feathertail needed the touch of a friend right now.

"What if we don't find Stormfur?" Feathertail fretted. "What will I tell RiverClan? What will I tell Ma and Pa?"

Mistyfoot swallowed. "We'll find him," she assured her, "and the others."

She looked back at the silver she-cat and found her face to be full of cluelessness and misery. "Is this the first time you two have been apart?" Mistyfoot wondered.

Feathertail nodded reluctantly. "I'll never forgive myself if Stormfur dies on this journey, Mistyfoot," she confessed, her eyes sparkling with sorrow.

Mistyfoot flicked her tail against Feathertail's muzzle. "Stormfur is a strong warrior; he'll be fine," she insisted, "and it's not like you _made_ him come."

Feathertail faltered, her eyes widening. Mistyfoot dug her claws into the wood below her as Feathertail almost pushed her aside to get in front.

"Let's hurry," the silver tabby insisted, not looking back at Mistyfoot. "Come on!"

Mistyfoot blinked. What was _that_ reaction? _Now's not the time,_ she thought. _It's not like I'd forgive myself if anyone died on this journey, either._

* * *

"Stay here," Stoneheart insisted.

"But-"

"Just _stay."_

Before Shadepaw could protest further, Stoneheart leaped down from the fence. Shadepaw watched him streak across the yard and slam into one of the kittypets that was harassing Crowpaw. The distraction was all Crowpaw needed – he bundled into the other kittypet, and Shadepaw saw all four disappear into a tangle of fur and claws.

A feeling of uselessness crept over Shadepaw. She could only watch – a medicine cat was not trained for combat, at least not in ThunderClan. She flinched as Stoneheart delivered a heavy blow to his kittypet opponent, imagining the pain they'd feel later, and she whimpered as Crowpaw sliced open his opponent's nose, splattering blood on the grass.

It was enough to get the kittypets to back off, at least. They hissed and spat as Stoneheart and Crowpaw made for the fence. Shadepaw rushed to join them, eyes wide as she looked for wounds on either. She caught sight of some blood welling on Crowpaw's flank.

"We need to stop that bleeding," she decided. "Come on."

Now it was her turn to lead the way, tail up. The yard next to them was less kept up, and Shadepaw spotted a tangle of cobwebs. She scented the air – no kittypets or dogs – before she hopped off of the fence and gestured for Stoneheart and Crowpaw to do the same.

In a flash she had the cobwebs wrapped around a paw, and she hobbled over to Crowpaw. His blue eyes flashed.

"Get _away_ from me!" he snapped.

Shadepaw blinked at him. Stoneheart bristled behind Crowpaw, and opened his jaws to speak – but Shadepaw spoke for him: "Shut _up,_ will you?" she snapped back. "You're the only cat who came from WindClan – what do you think will happen to your Clan if you die from an infected wound? You've caused enough trouble for all of us to fill a moon, so sit still and let me treat you!"

Crowpaw's eyes widened, and he quieted, looking down at his paws. He didn't say a thing as Shadepaw spread the cobwebs over his scratch. Perhaps her words had been unwarranted, but Crowpaw had been nothing but a frustrating thorn in their side and it felt good to unleash the annoyance.

Beside her, Stoneheart chuckled. "You really did get your father's temper, Shadepaw," he said. "Noted."

Embarassment warmed Shadepaw's pelt. "That's what everyone says," she breathed. She patted down the last of the cobwebs. "There you go."

Crowpaw moved away, still not meeting her eyes. Shadepaw worried – had she hurt his feelings? Having Tinystar's temper was not always a boon, Shadepaw had learned. She'd have to apologize to him later.

"On to the others," Stoneheart sighed. "They can't have gone too far."

Shadepaw closed her eyes and felt for Nightpaw again. He still wasn't alone, but he was still quite afraid – she could feel him looking for the others. He seemed much closer than before, and Shadepaw's tail flicked Stoneheart's shoulder.

"Come on," she insisted. Darkness was beginning to descend upon the world. Would they be able to find the others in the dark, even with Shadepaw's connection to Nightpaw? "There's no time to lose."

* * *

"I see them!"

Mistyfoot blinked in the half-light. She was quite sick of walking along Twoleg fences, and she wondered if she'd picked up a splinter. They were on the edge of the Twolegplace, it seemed – the Thunderpaths that had caused all this drama were far behind. Now that night was coming, the roar of the monsters was dying down.

There was a shiny fence that stuck out from the others, made not of wood but some thin mesh that reminded Mistyfoot of cobweb. Two shapes were crouched at the edge of the fence, one outside and one still inside. Feathertail rushed for them, and Mistyfoot followed, hope alighting in her heart.

_They're okay!_

The she-cats leaped off the fence. With her paws in the grass Mistyfoot felt like she could run forever, and she picked up the pace until both she and Feathertail were running shoulder to shoulder.

Nightpaw was scrabbling at the bottom of the cobweb fence. There was a shallow scoop beneath the webbing, and Stormfur was trying to pull himself through it… which wasn't going well. Mistyfoot could tell by the bunching of his fur that he was quite stuck.

"Stormfur!" Feathertail cried. She crashed into her brother, covering his head with licks. "Oh StarClan, I was so worried!"

Mistyfoot's arrival was calmer. She touched her nose to Nightpaw's ear and sighed. "We were looking _everywhere_ for you."

"So were we!" Nightpaw squeaked. He pushed his muzzle into Mistyfoot's fur. "A dog chased us into this yard before a Twoleg came to get it. I could get through the fence easy, but…"

"_I_ am stuck," Stormfur grunted. He looked up at Mistyfoot, amber eyes sparkling. Mistyfoot admired his ability to find amusement in this situation. "Not very graceful, I know."

"The dog or that Twoleg could come back!" Nightpaw fretted. "We need to hurry!"

Feathertail's eyes went wide. Mistyfoot padded over to Stormfur, looking over the problem area. The fence was twisted and caught in the fur around his midsection, where the fluff – and Stormfur – were thickest. Feathertail touched the fluff with her paw and sighed.

"You do take after Pa," Feathertail sighed. "Stomach and all."

Stormfur's tail flicked on the other side of the fence. "Yeah, yeah, I know – can you hurry? My tail looks like easy fresh-kill right now."

Mistyfoot sat back on her haunches, trying to think. Her mind was blanking – faituge and stress had worn her to her limits already. Everyone else looked much the same, even Stormfur, who kept trying in vain to get himself untangled from the claw-like webbing of the fence.

"There you are!"

Mistyfoot's ears pricked. She blinked, spotting three shapes loping towards them. Hope fluttered in her heart. Stoneheart! And Shadepaw, and Crowpaw, too!

"Shadepaw!" Nightpaw breathed, rushing over to his littermate. Shadepaw met him with her muzzle, purring. Crowpaw flopped down by the cobweb fence, his blue gaze unreadable – there was a mat of cobwebs on his flank, and Mistyfoot wondered what trouble he'd gotten into.

Stoneheart brushed his muzzle against Mistyfoot's. She ignored Crowpaw for now, grateful that her brother was safe. Stoneheart pulled away, looking down at Stormfur. "It's all the fish you RiverClan cats eat," he grunted after assessing the situation.

"Like _you_ wouldn't get stuck here, either, with those boulders you have for shoulders," Stormfur shot back good-naturedly.

Stoneheart's whiskers twitched. Mistyfoot glanced at the others – they were all here now, and all in one piece. Relief washed over her like a gentle wave of water. Once they got Stormfur out, their journey could continue.

But how to get Stormfur out?

Shadepaw was looking over the tangled fur and Twoleg web, her tail-tip flicking in thought. Mistyfoot thought she looked very much like her father, whose eyes would always narrow in a particular way when he was trying to solve a problem.

"Got it!" Shadepaw declared, lifting her muzzle. "Quick, does anyone see any dock around here? Big wide leaves with wrinkly edges."

Nightpaw's tail shot up. "There's some over here!"

The night-black tom shot off. Mistyfoot watched him pad along the fence until he reached a place where one of the bushes from the inside of the fence grew through the holes in the cobweb fence. He ripped off a bundle of leaves and brought them back.

"That'll work," Shadepaw said happily. "Chew this all up, hurry!"

Mistyfoot bent down and began to chew, wincing at the sour taste of the dock leaves in her jaws. Feathertail followed suit. Shadepaw had her own lump of dock in her jaws, and she spat the juice out onto Stormfur's pelt.

"Like that," she instructed.

Mistyfoot nodded and she spat her own juices down Stormfur's pelt. Feathertail followed soon after. Shadepaw put her paws in the juice and began to smear it all over Stormfur's pelt. The RiverClan tom wiggled.

"Try now," Shadepaw said.

Stormfur nodded, and kicked out with his hind paws. He wiggled and grunted and twisted, and Mistyfoot watched as his fur untangled from the fence. A moment later he was free, though not without leaving a few hunks of dark gray fur behind.

"Whoa," he breathed. "All things considered, that was kind of fun!"

Stoneheart cuffed him over the ear. "What was that about my shoulders earlier?" he quipped.

Stormfur's ears pinned, and a purred swept through the group – all except Crowpaw, who still appeared sullen. Mistyfoot noted that he hadn't said a word since he arrived – not a sneer or a joke or anything. Was he just too tired?

"Really, thanks," Stormfur offered, sweeping his eyes over to the she-cats. Shadepaw and Feathertail dipped their heads, but Mistyfoot found herself frozen at the warmth in Stormfur's gaze as he looked at her. "I'd still be stuck there if not for you."

"Happy to help!" chirped Shadepaw.

Mistyfoot flicked her tail, trying to dismiss the feeling creeping under her fur. "We're in this together, Stormfur," she said.

Stoneheart got to his paws and stretched. "This is all well and good, but we need to get out of here. I don't know about the rest of you, but I'm exhausted."

"Definitely," sighed Feathertail.

"If I never see another Twolegplace, it'll be too soon," agreed Nightpaw. "This sucked."

Shadepaw shook out her paws. "I need to get someplace where I can look over all of us," she said. "The last thing we need is a secret infection slowing us down."

"There was an abandoned nest we spotted on our way over here," Stormfur mentioned. He glanced at Nightpaw. "You think that would work?"

Nightpaw blinked, narrowing his eyes in thought. _They both do it like their father does,_ Mistyfoot noted. "Yeah," Nightpaw meowed. "It should work."

Stormfur lifted his tail. "Alright, then. Onward!"

* * *

The abandoned nest was situated just outside of the Twolegplace – a small wooden structure that wasn't quite the size of the other nests. It had a roof, at least, and Shadepaw guessed that it might not fall down on them in the night. They had little choice otherwise.

She paused to pick some horsetail which sprouted just outside before heading into the nest. The sharp smell filled her nostrils, and she knew it would do wonders for their sore pads and scratches. Though her own paws were tired, she knew she couldn't – wouldn't – sleep until the others were seen to.

The group quickly found places to stretch out and rest on the wooden Twoleg floor. There was even the hint of mouse in the air, and Shadepaw had hope for a decent breakfast in the morning. No cat fought her as she spread horsetail on their pads or looked over their pelts for scratches. _Thick pelts hide their wounds best,_ she reflected as she parted Stormfur's pelt with her paws.

There were no major wounds – even Stormfur's scratches were superficial, really - and for that Shadepaw was grateful; but every cat's paws would be sore by morning. Shadepaw laid the last of her horsetail down by Crowpaw and sat on her haunches beside him. He'd placed himself far away from the others, and didn't look at her as she took the cobweb off of his scratch.

"Thank you for cooperating," she said quietly as she spread the horsetail juices along his flank. "It really does make things easier."

Crowpaw shifted. "Don't yell at me," he said. "I hate that."

Shadepaw winced. So she _had_ been too harsh earlier. "I'm sorry," she said. "I was just frustrated. I won't do it again."

Crowpaw said nothing.

Shadepaw dressed his wound for the night and then returned to her brother. She flopped down beside Nightpaw, letting his emotions wash over her. It was mostly relief and renewed excitement at their adventure – but when Nightpaw's icy gaze swept over Crowpaw, Shadepaw felt prickles like thorns run down her spine.

"We don't know him well," Shadepaw pointed out, pressing her pelt against Nightpaw's. "There's more to everyone here than we know."

Nightpaw sighed. Guilt replaced the prickling feeling. "I'm just glad we're all okay," Nightpaw muttered. Shadepaw knew that to be true. "You, especially."

Shadepaw murmured, "Same here," as she curled up. She was asleep before her tail touched her nose.

* * *

Mistyfoot watched Nightpaw and Shadepaw fall asleep. Feathertail was already down, her fluffy flanks rising and falling. Stoneheart was stretched out nearby, his tail flicking as he dreamed. Crowpaw shuffled himself closer to the group before he rested his head on his paws.

Though Mistyfoot wanted to sleep too, she felt something brush against her pelt. Stormfur. The RiverClan warrior had gone to make dirt before bedding down, and he sat beside her now. His presence prickled at her pelt like thorns.

"Thanks for helping me," he meowed quietly.

"It wasn't just me," Mistyfoot insisted.

Stormfur purred. "Well, either way – we all need to work together to make it through this. I'm glad we all kind of know each other."

Mistyfoot looked at Crowpaw, feeling sympathy prick her pelt. "We don't know him," she pointed out.

Stormfur shrugged beside her. "We'll figure him out," he said reassuringly. "I've hardly met a cat you can't befriend in the end. Some cats just make you work harder for it."

Mistyfoot glanced between Stormfur and Feathertail. Feathertail's actions earlier stirred in her mind, and she shifted her paws as anxiety rippled through her. Was it her place to ask? But the words were tumbling out of her mouth anyway: "Did Feathertail make you come with us?"

Stormfur stiffened beside her, and Mistyfoot knew she had crossed a line. "I did think of staying," Stormfur admitted, taking a sharp breath. "RiverClan feels like it's going in a strange direction nowadays. I felt like they might need me – but Feathertail's mission is more important, not just to the Clans but to her, too."

Mistyfoot swallowed as Stormfur went on: "Being half-Clan makes us closer than most littermates," he said. "I think you know how that feels."

"I do," Mistyfoot breathed. She looked over at Stoneheart. "I miss Stoneheart so much in ThunderClan. I don't think there's anything I wouldn't do for him."

"Look at us," Stormfur meowed, sweeping his tail towards the sleeping cats. "Even among the ones StarClan chose, I don't think they want boundaries to get in the way of this journey. Otherwise, why even bother choosing one cat from each Clan, let alone so many cats with ties in other Clans? I'm no genius, but I can see that we're not meant to be four Clans on this journey."

Mistyfoot's pelt prickled. There was emotion in Stormfur's eyes and an earnestness in his voice that shook to her core. As she looked over the bodies sleeping in the shelter of the old nest, she knew he was right. And yet…

"That feels dangerous to think about," Mistyfoot said. "The Clans are very much definied by the boundaries between us. What if this prophecy destroys them? What will we be then?"

Stormfur blinked. "Happier, hopefully."

Mistyfoot swallowed around a lump in her throat.

"Good night, Mistyfoot," Stormfur breathed, touching his nose to her ear. Mistyfoot watched him settle down beside Feathertail.

She forced herself to her paws and padded over to Stoneheart. He was sleeping deeply. She laid down beside him, resting her muzzle on her paws. She looked over the nest one last time – they were all in their own corners, yes; but she could see that they were already sleeping closer than they had at Barley's barn.

She closed her eyes. Stormfur's words followed her into sleep.


	20. Chapter 18

**Chapter 18**

_Shadepaw tossed and turned, until finally_ she opened her eyes with a sigh. Her dreams were so confusing lately – not necessarily filled with evil but not quite feeling right, either. She hadn't seen a sign at all from StarClan since the group had left the forest, and she hoped that didn't mean she'd made a mistake in coming.

_It's too late now to regret that,_ she thought. Her eyes adjusted to the gloom of the abandoned Twoleg nest they were sheltering in. She could see her companions huddled together, their flanks rising and falling softly in sleep. There was something comforting about knowing that they, at least, seemed to be sleeping well.

Shadepaw blinked. There was one body not curled up in sleep. She could see his shape outlined in the coming dawn light – Crowpaw.

She got to her paws, carefully disentangling herself from Nightpaw. The last thing she wanted to do was wake her brother when she could feel that he was dreaming peacefully. Shadepaw picked her way over to Crowpaw, placing her paws gently.

Crowpaw didn't react when Shadepaw sat down beside him. His narrow muzzle was pointed to the star-filled sky, and Shadepaw could see something in his blue gaze that she couldn't quite identify. She longed to pry, but she knew it would be too much for the prickly Crowpaw – she settled for looking out at the stars with him, grateful at least that he hadn't snapped at her yet.

They sat in silence for a time. Shadepaw curled her tail around her paws. The other cats on the journey weren't utterly strangers to Shadepaw, but Crowpaw was a mystery. _That has to make him feel very lonely,_ she thought. _Does he regret coming?_

"That's the Father, up there," Crowpaw said finally, his voice low. "Towards the middle of the sky."

Shadepaw blinked. She looked up at the sky, to a star that seemed central and bright. Her eyes widened. The star stood out from the thick band of Silverpelt in a way that drew the eye. "Oh, wow," she breathed. "How have I never noticed that before?"

"WindClan elders say that the Father was once the father of all the Clans," Crowpaw went on. "When he died the four Clans were born, and his ghostly paw carved a riverbed in the sky for Silverpelt to flow."

Shadepaw's pelt prickled. "Do you think he was one of the Great Clans? A leopard or a lion?"

Crowpaw shrugged. "Don't know," he admitted. "But WindClan, we like to think that he's a guiding star, so that the Clans don't lose their way."

Shadepaw felt a strange feeling in her heart. ThunderClan didn't think of the stars in such a way – sure, occasionally you could estimate who might be who in Silverpelt, but they didn't assign names or meaning. That felt… sad. Did the other Clans have stories and legends like this?

"We're taught the stars as part of our training," Crowpaw meowed. "Our territory is very open and big, and sometimes cats lose their way in the grass. If you know the stars, all you have to do is wait for night and follow the right one."

Shadepaw could hear the homesickness in his tone. "Thank you for teaching me this," she offered.

Crowpaw only grunted.

Shadepaw suppressed a sigh. Would she ever get anything other than grunts and begrudging thank-yous from the WindClan apprentice? There _had_ to be warmth somewhere beneath his tough exterior.

She looked back at Nightpaw, who was still sleeping. It didn't take much probing to know that he was dreaming of hunting the forest back home in ThunderClan territory, with the sun dappling his pelt and the smell of greenleaf high in the air. Shadepaw wished once again that she could read others' feelings the same as she could Nightpaw's.

Shadepaw's own heart ached with homesickness. Looking out at the land before her, there was not a single landmark she knew. Even the stars, despite the Father shining bright, seemed wrong. They were only a day's walk away from Highstones and yet it seemed like everything had changed.

"I miss the forest," she lamented, the words spilling out of her. "I… I thought leaving home was the right thing to do, and I was excited to go – but I miss my Clan."

Crowpaw grimaced. For a moment, Shadepaw thought he'd admonish her for oversharing. His eyes flashed to her and then down to his paws. "I miss WindClan, too," he agreed.

Shadepaw blinked sympathetically at him. "I think we all miss home," she went on. "The sooner we get this mission done, the better, right? Then we can all go home to our families. I wonder how much they miss us…" The thought of Tinystar and Sandstorm distraught made Shadepaw's heart only ache more. Would Brackenfur telling her parents that StarClan had sent her away make them feel better, or worse? _I didn't mean to cause you suffering!_

"Any idea how long we'll be out here?" Crowpaw wondered.

"I don't know," Shadepaw sighed. "I wish StarClan would tell us."

Crowpaw frowned. "They told you to come along, right? Why wouldn't they tell you anything else?"

Shadepaw had no answer. She stared at her paws. For the first time since setting paw out of camp to find Mistyfoot and Nightpaw, Shadepaw wondered if she had wanted to come because of StarClan, or because of her anger at Brackenfur.

She looked up at the stars, at the Father, and found that they did not answer.

* * *

Dawn light streamed in through cracks in the small Twoleg nest. The journeying cats were awake, and at Stoneheart's behest they gathered in the center of the nest to speak. Mistyfoot sat beside her brother, curling her tail over her paws. She still couldn't believe she'd woken up so far from Clan territory, and her head still felt a touch foggy. She wasn't the only one – Stormfur stretched his entire body, yawning greatly, while Nightpaw looked as if he could use a few more moment's sleep.

"Alright," Stoneheart breathed. He looked out at the others with eyes cool like river water. "It's too late for us to have second thoughts now. It would waste too much time to go back to the Clan territories – we need to drop some of our pretenses and form a Clan of our own if we're to make it out here."

Mistyfoot felt her brother tense as the others' expressions changed. Stormfur and Feathertail seemed the most on board, while Nightpaw and Shadepaw look at one another, confused. Crowpaw, of course, looked the least enthused, grumbling and sliding his claws in an out.

"I won't stop being WindClan," the apprentice hissed. "Certainly not for _you."_

"That's not what Stoneheart means," Stormfur pointed out amiably. "We each have our own skills – we need to use them and cooperate to avoid stuff like yesterday happening again."

Crowpaw's eyes flashed rebelliously at the mention of yesterday's incident, but he said nothing.

"Does that mean you'll teach us to fish?" Nightpaw wondered, looking over at Feathertail and Stormfur.

Feathertail shrugged. "Only if you want to learn," she replied.

"What about the warrior code?" Shadepaw asked.

"I don't think the warrior code can account for situations like this," Stoneheart answered. "I'm not suggesting we drop it completely, but…"

"… but we need to take care of one another if we're going to survive," Mistyfoot finished. She gave her brother a grateful look. She could understand where he was coming from on this, and it was likely something all the warriors on this journey had been thinking about. "We can't afford to be at one another's throats constantly, especially over borders we're no longer inside."

Crowpaw bristled. "I was almost a warrior back home," he snapped. "I won't be ordered around by anyone, especially a _ThunderClan_ cat."

Stormfur flicked his tail at the prickly apprentice. "You've got plenty to teach us, too," he offered. "I think, considering the circumstances, even you can see that we can afford to learn from one another here."

Stoneheart nodded to Shadepaw and added, "Even you."

"Me?" Shadepaw looked perplexed.

"Your lack of fighting experience isn't good," Stoneheart pointed out. "It'll only hinder us, and you, in the end. You need to learn some way to defend yourself. Not only that, but you can teach us about herbs, too."

Shadepaw's eyes flashed, and the young she-cat almost looked overwhelmed at the prospect. But in the end she lowered her white muzzle and mewed, "I understand."

"This is going to be _awesome!"_ crowed Nightpaw. He looked at Shadepaw and Crowpaw, his ice-blue eyes wide. "When will any other apprentice get to learn this sort of stuff?"

Mistyfoot swallowed. The thought of guiding the apprentices made her heart pound in her ears. How could she mold their minds after what happened to Shrewpaw? The urge to flee the nest was almost overwhelming. Stoneheart's idea was the right one, but how could she be trusted to help?

"Can you teach us how to run fast?" Nightpaw asked, thrusting his muzzle into Crowpaw's face.

Crowpaw batted him away with a paw. "It doesn't work like that!" he hissed down at Nightpaw. "Your legs are way too short."

He looked up at the gathered cats, his blue eyes dark. His gaze flitted over each one and, finally, with a raised muzzle he stated, "Mistyfoot and Shadepaw are probably the best candidates. They're more built for endurance running."

Mistyfoot flicked an ear self-consciously. Shadepaw, however, seemed eager now, too. Her eyes sparkled. "Could you teach us?" she asked.

Crowpaw hesitated, whiskers twitching. "Uh…"

"If I may," Stormfur mewed. "Rabbits would be the more common prey around these parts – they'd be very filling, too, if we could catch them. It'd be unfair to you, Crowpaw, if we only relied on you to catch them."

Shadepaw's eyes grew round. "That's true!" she agreed. "Come on, Crowpaw – please teach us? I want to run like Mother does!"

Crowpaw blinked. For a moment he looked unsure – and then Mistyfoot saw a spark of pride in his eyes. He puffed out his chest. "Sure," he decided. "Why not?"

_He likes to be treated like a warrior,_ Mistyfoot thought. She twitched her whiskers in amusement at the way Shadepaw had wrapped Crowpaw around her tail. "She figured out something we haven't," she whispered into Stoneheart's ear. "How to keep Crowpaw from being a bee in our tail!"

Stoneheart purred. "Think she can teach us?"

"We should get moving," Feathertail commented. Mistyfoot saw the silver tabby looking up at the sky through the gaps in the nest walls. "I think today is going to be quite cloudy. We don't want to lose the right direction when the sun disappears."

Nightpaw flicked his tail. "Do RiverClan cats know how to predict the weather?" he wondered.

Feathertail blinked down at the small black tom. "Old stories of ours say that the tigers of RiverClan could control the rain," she purred.

"Liar!" Nightpaw chuckled. "No cat could have powers like that!"

Feathertail's fur fluffed. "It was so true!" she insisted, blue eyes sparkling with playful indignation. "All cats with RiverClan blood can tell when it's about to rain!"

Stormfur fluffed his own thick pelt. "I agree," he mewed. "I think rain is on the way."

"Then we need to get moving," Stoneheart decided. "The sooner the better."

"Agreed," Mistyfoot mewed.

Stormfur lifted his tail as he got to his paws. "Don't worry, guys," he meowed, padding towards the entrance of the nest. The dawn light touched his fur and turned gray to gold. "I think we'll work together just fine, in the end."

The journeying cats began to stream out into the open, following Stormfur's lead. Mistyfoot let the apprentices scamper ahead, catching Crowpaw already instructing Shadepaw on how to get the most distance with her stride. Nightpaw was trying too, despite his small legs, his eyes filled with obstinate determination.

Mistyfoot watched them, feeling her stomach twist. The idea that the group would become a Clan of its own was both terrifying and comforting, and Stormfur's words rang in her head. Despite what the warrior code said… Mistyfoot guessed that Stormfur was right.


	21. Chapter 19

**Chapter 19**

_Feathertail had been right about the_ weather.

Mistyfoot glanced up at the clouds through the trees, wondering if RiverClan cats really could predict the weather. A raindrop splattered on her nose and she shook her muzzle with frustration. The clouds had come quickly as the cats had started to move, and they had to take shelter in a copse that wasn't too far from the barn they'd left that morning. It was just too difficult to proceed in the rain – with the sky clouded, they could get lost very easily.

"This sucks!" hissed Stoneheart. He was pacing, his paws splashing in the softened earth.

"I know," Mistyfoot agreed. Her pelt was uncomfortably damp. "I just wish we knew where we were going."

Stoneheart sighed and settled beside her, wrapping his tail around his paws. "Stormfur was right to make us stop," he meowed. "I just wish we'd gotten farther."

"Me, too." Mistyfoot looked over at where the others were, about a fox-length away from her. Stormfur was wrestling with Shadepaw, and Mistyfoot could overhear him giving her advice on her swiping if she focused. It was a good idea to get the apprentices practicing if they couldn't be moving – it kept their minds off of their frustration at their lack of progress.

Stoneheart's whiskers twitched. "I'm surprised you're not over there," he grunted. "Don't you want to help the apprentices?"

Mistyfoot swallowed, glancing at her brother. She kneaded her paws into the earth and sighed. "I… I'm not a worthy mentor," she admitted quietly.

Stoneheart's ears pricked. "What?" he breathed. "Who said that?"

"No one _said_ it," Mistyfoot insisted. _No one but Ashfur,_ she reflected. "I just… Stoneheart, I _had_ an apprentice."

"What?! And you didn't tell me?" There was no anger in her brother's voice – just concern.

Mistyfoot's throat felt dry. "It was before the last Gathering we attended. I… his name was Shrewpaw. He got caught by that badger… and it killed him. He was just trying to protect Nightpaw. If I had been a proper mentor he never would have gotten into that situation, and he'd still be alive, and-"

"Whoa, whoa, slow down," Stoneheart meowed, nudging Mistyfoot with a shoulder. His eyes sparkled with sorrow. "I'm so _sorry,_ Mistyfoot," he breathed. "I had no idea."

Mistyfoot leaned on her brother. She stared down at her paws, and murmured, "I just… I'm not a worthy mentor, Stoneheart. I don't think I ever was. I keep thinking of everything I could have done to save him and…"

Stoneheart sighed. "Oh, Misty," he mewed, "you can't beat yourself up about it forever. You've got to let it go eventually; learn from it, and let yourself recover."

"It still _hurts,_ though," Mistyfoot meowed. "How can I forget what a failure I am?"

"Mistyfoot, it sounds like that was just a really bad situation," Stoneheart told her. "You said Nightpaw was involved, too? What if they _both_ had died?"

"I think about that, too," Mistyfoot admitted.

Stoneheart sighed again. His tail rested on Mistyfoot's flank. "Nightpaw seems okay, at least," he mentioned. "Is that why he came with you? Because of what happened?"

Mistyfoot looked over at Nightpaw, who was boxing with Crowpaw. Crowpaw was clearly using his superior height to his advantage, and loving every moment of Nightpaw's frustration. Mistyfoot swallowed, thinking of all that had happened before they had left ThunderClan – and how happy Nightpaw seemed now, in comparison.

"Tinystar just… started treating us differently," Mistyfoot told Stoneheart. "I don't know why. I think Nightpaw just wants to prove himself to Tinystar."

Stoneheart grunted. "It was only a matter of time," he mewed. "I left ThunderClan because of how everyone was treating me, after all."

Mistyfoot felt her shoulder fur rise – and then fall. She wanted to tell her brother that Tinystar hadn't been prejudiced, but she knew she had no idea where Tinystar's change in attitude had really come from.

"Something happened," was all she said. "I love ThunderClan, Stoneheart. It's my home; where I belong."

Stoneheart blinked at her. "We all have to go where our hearts lead, I suppose," he mused.

Mistyfoot looked at her brother. There was a strange emotion in his eye, something like regret. "Before all this stuff happened… I remember you and Rowanclaw were really close," she ventured. "Did you two ever… become mates?"

Stoneheart flinched. Mistyfoot regretted bringing it up, suddenly. Stoneheart frowned at the earth and explained, "We're mates, yes. But Rowanclaw… he wanted to start a family. The visions and dreams… I had to put it off." Stoneheart looked beseechingly into Mistyfoot's eyes. "And aren't we too young for kits, anyway?"

Mistyfoot's whiskers twitched. Something about Stoneheart being surrounded by tiny kits was amusing. "I don't know," she admitted, "but if you keep wondering about whether or not you're the right age, you'll be elders before you decide."

Stoneheart scoffed, flicking his tail. "You're one to talk," he chided, "what with how close you and Stormfur are suddenly."

Mistyfoot bristled, suddenly, her pelt hot. "There's _nothing_ going on!" she insisted indignantly.

Stoneheart rolled his eyes. "He's a noble cat," he went on, "but he's from another Clan, Mistyfoot. You need to figure this out before it goes too far."

Mistyfoot looked away from her brother, frowning, not wanting to confront that idea. And yet her eye landed on Stormfur, who was trying to wrestle with all three apprentices, now, and failing miserably. Mistyfoot swallowed. Was there really something between she and the RiverClan warrior? How would she know?

"Now isn't the time for that sort of thing," Mistyfoot insisted, to herself more than Stoneheart. "We've got a mission to focus on."

"I suppose," Stoneheart sighed.

"Hey, guys!" Feathertail's voice rose from where she sat observing her brother and the training session. She was looking up at the sky. "I think the storm is almost done!"

"Really?" Nightpaw wondered from his place pinning down Stormfur's flank. "I'm itching to get going! Crowpaw isn't fighting fair, anyway."

"Hey!" hissed Crowpaw. He rose up and cuffed Nightpaw over the ear. "WindClan moves can beat ThunderClan's any time!"

Nightpaw growled and pounced, tackling Crowpaw to the soggy earth. The WindClan tom wiggled, annoyed, as Nightpaw battered him with his paws.

"Stop that!" Shadepaw hissed, bristling. "You'll open up Crowpaw's wounds!"

"Come on, you two," Stormfur meowed, getting to his paws. He used one of his massive furry paws to push Nightpaw and Crowpaw apart. "We'll have plenty of time for more practice later."

Mistyfoot blinked. Sunlight was beginning to poke through the clouds, and a shaft of yellow light touched Stormfur, making his dark gray fur glow. The gentle, confident way he handled the apprentices made Mistyfoot's pelt prickle with warmth.

_He's so…_ she didn't finish the thought. What would Stoneheart say if he caught her looking moony at Stormfur after she'd insisted there was nothing there?

She gave herself a mental shake to clear the haze. _I need to act like that, too,_ she insisted to herself. _That's the only way I'll be a better mentor._

_I need to learn, and let Shrewpaw go._


	22. Chapter 20

**Chapter 20**

_By the time the clouds cleared,_ the sun was making its way towards the horizon. Shadepaw wished they'd been able to set off sooner, but her muscles were pleasantly sore from training with Stormfur and she found herself unable to complain very much.

Shadepaw had known since she was even aware of knowing that she was destined to be a medicine cat – training like a warrior just never occurred to her. Now, though, she could see the appeal of a medicine cat knowing how to defend themselves. Even if things in the forest were peaceful now, that didn't mean they always would be… and with whatever danger was coming to the Clans rearing its head, Shadepaw had a feeling that knowing how to defend herself would come in handy.

Stormfur was leading the way, heading away from the copse and towards where the sun would set. Shadepaw found herself missing the cover of trees, sparse and marshy though the copse had been. These open moorland hills were so barren and lonely, only Crowpaw looked comfortable on their slopes.

"I'm starving," muttered Nightpaw. "You think we'll stop for food any time soon?"

Shadepaw flicked an ear at her brother. She could feel his hunger, as well as her own. "I don't know," she admitted quietly. "But I don't think there's much prey here."

"Hah!" scoffed Crowpaw. Shadepaw flinched at the suddenness of his voice – those big ears of his were quite keen! He stalked up beside her and meowed, "That's only because you forest cats don't know the first thing about finding prey out here!"

Shadepaw felt a twinge of embarrassment. Nightpaw, however, had a little worm of annoyance growing in his pelt. Shadepaw intercepted it before Nightpaw could snap at the WindClan tom: "Would you mind teaching us how to hunt, then?" she asked. "You did say that I'd be good at it."

Crowpaw's eyes widened. Shadepaw tried to plead with her own gaze – she had to admit, she _was_ very curious about hunting like a WindClan warrior, especially since her mother, Sandstorm, was half WindClan herself. _It's in our blood!_

"Fine," Crowpaw decided. "I think I can teach you."

"Me, too!" insisted Nightpaw. He drew himself up indignantly. "There's no reason to teach just her!"

Crowpaw frowned, but then shrugged. "Fine, fine," he said, his tone suddenly somewhat reluctant. Shadepaw blinked at him, wondering why.

The lean gray tom loped ahead, overtaking Stormfur, who stepped aside with eyes full of curiosity. The whole group paused, gathering around Crowpaw as he stretched each leg in turn in the long grasses. Shadepaw noted he seemed extremely proud of holding knowledge over the others – it made his blue eyes sparkle with zeal.

"Hunting rabbits is about more than just catching up to them," Crowpaw told the group. "It's about endurance, too. You've got to perfect your stride in order to outlast them. Like this!"

He trotted around the group. "Stretch each leg to its limit!" he stated as he made his way around them in a wide circle. Shadepaw watched his legs seemingly grow longer with every step. The ground he covered was immense! "You get more speed that way, without sacrificing your stamina!"

Shadepaw was too eager to try it out. She stretched each of her own legs, and trotted after Crowpaw. Her legs ached a little, but she found herself covering far more ground than she ever had before. It took a little concentration, and she wasn't as fast as Crowpaw, but she was impressed with herself.

The others were trying it, too, to varying degrees of success. Like Crowpaw had predicted, Mistyfoot managed better than the other warriors, with Stoneheart and Feathertail just behind her. Stormfur and Nightpaw lagged, however, weighted down by the physical size of their own legs.

Crowpaw raised his tail for everyone to stop.

"That's so hard!" Nightpaw complained. "I think I'm better off waiting for a rabbit to come to me."

"Same here," sighed Stormfur. "I take too much after Graystripe for this."

Crowpaw rolled his eyes. "WindClan cats hunt in pairs for a _reason,_ you know," he crowed. "We're not all legs. The faster cats chase the rabbits towards the stockier cats, so they get to make the kill before the rabbits flee to their burrows."

Mistyfoot's ears pricked. "Fascinating," she mewed. "Solo hunting is about all ThunderClan cats are taught. It just isn't effective to hunt in pairs in the forest – it's too noisy."

"Same for us," Feathertail remarked. "Fishing is a solo task, and even the land prey we eat doesn't need to be baited unless it's a heron, and those are rare."

"ShadowClan hunt in pairs at night," Stoneheart pointed out. "It helps you keep your bearings, and we use pawspeak to keep utterly silent so prey doesn't hear us. We hunt a lot more slowly than WindClan, though."

"Wow," Nightpaw breathed, eyes wide. Shadepaw could feel her brother's awe, and couldn't blame him. Medicine was just about the same throughout the Clans – knowing that each Clan had their own ways of hunting was very intriguing, and something Shadepaw had never really considered before.

Crowpaw raised his chin, smugness glittering in his eyes. "I'm one of the best hunters in WindClan, according to Mudclaw. I can hunt _anywhere."_

Nightpaw's whiskers twitched. "There's more to hunting in a forest than running," he pointed out.

"What's it like, having a deputy for a mentor?" Shadepaw wondered.

Crowpaw frowned, and suddenly his demeanor changed. His shoulders hunched, and his chin lowered. His eyes darted about, avoiding contact with any other cat in the group. Shadepaw noted the way his tail twitched in the grass, like an anxious snake.

"It's like any other mentor," he insisted. "Nothing special."

Shadepaw blinked at Crowpaw, sympathy welling in her. She knew something of the pressures of being the kit of a leader, and the apprentice to the Clan's medicine cat – that was all very anxiety-inducing in itself. From his reaction, Shadepaw guessed that Mudclaw was probably quite hard on Crowpaw.

_It would explain his… well, his everything,_ Shadepaw decided. _Mudclaw doesn't seem like an easy cat to get along with._

"Let's put this advice to good use," Stormfur decided, stretching out his legs. "We're all starving!"

"We can try back the way we came," Feathertail offered. "There's bound to be prey headed for the copse. Mistyfoot, Stormfur?"

"Of course," Stormfur agreed.

Mistyfoot nodded. "Stoneheart, you'll look after the apprentices?" she guessed.

Stoneheart, to Shadepaw's surprise, shook his head. "Nah," he meowed. "They can look after themselves. I'll scout around – there's some rocks up ahead that might make a good spot to eat."

"Good thinking," Stormfur agreed. "Keep an eye out for predators."

Stoneheart nodded. The strong-bodied gray tom padded off, leaving a trail of flattened grass behind him. Shadepaw looked down at her own small paws and wondered if they'd ever grow that large.

"Mistyfoot, coming?" Stormfur called.

Mistyfoot hesitated, her blue gaze switching from Stoneheart's back to the apprentices. Shadepaw blinked, confused at the worry in her gaze. _We _can_ handle ourselves!_ Shadepaw insisted. _We're not alone out here._

Finally Mistyfoot sighed and gave up, turning about to follow Stormfur and Feathertail back towards the copse. Shadepaw stared after her, feeling badly for her own thoughts. _She must still be hurting about Shrewpaw,_ Shadepaw decided. _No wonder she'd be reluctant to let any apprentices on their own._

"Mistyfoot is so touchy," Crowpaw complained.

"You're one to talk," Nightpaw insisted, his ice-blue eyes flashing. Shadepaw felt a flash of annoyance in her brother's pelt, and a faint memory of the badger incident. Mistyfoot had saved him then, and Shrewpaw had died defending him. "She's just worried about us."

"Well, she's not our mother, or our mentor," Crowpaw pointed out. "So she can lay off."

Nightpaw bristled, and Shadepaw stepped in. "Stop it, you two; you'll scare all the prey," she meowed. She opened her jaws. "I smell rabbit – let's see if we can bring back more than the warriors, hm?"

Shadepaw was pleased to see Nightpaw's eyes flash with the thrill of competition. Even Crowpaw seemed eager. Nightpaw's claws slid in and out. "I'll catch more than Stormfur!" he declared.

"No, _I_ will," Crowpaw sneered.

"Well I bet I'll catch more than either of you!" Shadepaw crowed, lifting her chin. "But we're working together right now – like WindClan apprentices."

There was a rush of confidence among the three of them as they set off into the long grass. Crowpaw led the way. Shadepaw positioned herself to bring up the rear, straining her ears to listen for any sign of prey.

Shadepaw couldn't deny that the excitement in her pelt wasn't from Nightpaw, though his adventurous nature was infectious. She was a medicine cat at heart, but learning to hunt wasn't going to hurt her knowledge of medicine. _After all, how many medicine cats get to do things like this?_

It wasn't as if medicine cats were never taught how to hunt – it just wasn't a priority in their duties. Brackenfur's disability made it difficult for him to teach Shadepaw how to hunt, and beyond that, she hadn't been his apprentice long before this journey began. Things were peaceful back in the forest – there was no need for a medicine cat to hunt or fight.

Crowpaw lifted his tail, halting their patrol. "There's a warren up there," he said, pointing with his narrow muzzle. "Nightpaw, go wait up above the hole."

Nightpaw nodded, and slunk off through the grass. He was a black speck in the waving grass, and Shadepaw felt his excitement turn to focused determination.

"Shadepaw, you and I are going to chase our prey to Nightpaw," Crowpaw instructed. "Got it?"

Shadepaw nodded, her paws burning.

"We need to keep the rabbit between us, or it'll go off in who-knows-what direction," Crowpaw stated. "You stay a few paces behind to keep it from doubling back."

"This is complicated!" Shadepaw breathed.

Crowpaw shrugged. "It's how WindClan cats hunt. The moors are too open to be teeming with prey – we've got to make our kills count."

Shadepaw nodded in understanding. _Being a moor cat sounds so hard!_ She thought, watching Crowpaw open his jaws to scent the air. _No wonder they're so thin…_

She scented rabbit, thick and strong. Shadepaw opened her mouth to call it out, but Crowpaw shook his head at her. Shadepaw clamped her jaws shut, understanding the need to keep quiet. Crowpaw raised his tail as he loped off in the direction of their prey. Shadepaw followed, keeping a few steps behind, and consciously trying to keep her paws from brushing against the grass too much.

The rabbit came into view shortly – a large creature that made Shadepaw salivate just to look at. It was nibbling at some scattered seeds, its nose twitching furiously. With the wind sweeping towards the hunters, their scents were perfectly hidden.

Crowpaw's tail flicked, and Shadepaw slowly drew around the rabbit, positioning herself opposite the WindClan cat.

Wind whistled in Shadepaw's ears, and for a while that was all she could hear. The whole world seemed poised to strike, just like the two hunters in the grass. Then, finally, Crowpaw charged, rustling the grass in such a fury that the rabbit squealed and took off towards Shadepaw.

Shadepaw was struck with nerves as, for a moment, she locked eyes with the terrified creature – but then she stood to her full height and hissed, sending the rabbit skidding and scurrying towards its warren. Crowpaw tore after it, and Shadepaw followed.

She remembered what Crowpaw said – _just behind, but make sure it can't get away_ – and she stretched her legs to meet that demand. Her muscles screamed, her ears filled with the sound of pouding paws and her own heartbeat.

Soon enough the warren was just ahead, Nightpaw hidden in the grasses just behind – visible only to the taller cats. Crowpaw raised his tail, slowing his pace. Shadepaw followed suit as the rabbit charged for the safety of their home – only to be pounced on by Nightpaw, whose teeth flashed.

Satisfaction flowed into Shadepaw through their bond. She stood, panting, her body exhausted. Even Crowpaw was panting, which made her feel a little less weak. Nightpaw dropped the dead rabbit between them, cleaning the blood from his jaws with a paw.

"That was _awesome!"_ he breathed.

"Is hunting always like that?" Shadepaw panted, breathless.

Crowpaw's eyes shone, his pelt rippling in the wind. Shadepaw's pelt prickled with warmth, happy that he looked so happy, and so free. "It is – and you did great, Shadepaw! You're a natural!" he purred.

Nightpaw's whiskers twitched. "Don't get her started," he teased, "she'll want to be a warrior apprentice when she gets home!"

Shadepaw's pelt bristled. "I am a medicine cat, through and through!" she insisted, lifting her jaw proudly. She didn't miss the way Crowpaw's gaze darkened. "But there's no harm in learning to hunt or fight!"

"Are we going for another?" Nightpaw asked.

Crowpaw shook his head. "Nah," he said. "That rabbit will feed all three of us, trust me!"

Nightpaw nodded and picked up the rabbit again. Shadepaw saw by the bend in Nightpaw's neck that Crowpaw was right – that rabbit was probably the largest she'd ever seen.

Crowpaw lifted his tail and led the way to the rocks Stoneheart had mentioned. Shadepaw followed, Nightpaw just behind. As they walked, Shadepaw watched Crowpaw – the way his stride lengthened, the way his chest puffed, the way he held his chin high…

_He just wants to be in charge,_ she thought. He'd been so close to his warrior ceremony before he left on this journey. _He just wants to prove himself._

* * *

Sunhigh had come and gone when all the journeying cats had settled beside the rock pile. Stoneheart had caught himself his own meal, a mouse that had been sniffing around the stones. Mistyfoot, Stormfur, and Feathertail each managed a catch each, with Feathertail getting lucky with an extra shrew. With the rabbit from the apprentices, they had a respectable fresh-kill pile to split between them.

Stoneheart doled out the prey, but Nightpaw insisted that the apprentices share the rabbit. "We caught it together, after all!" he said.

The others didn't seem to mind. Shadepaw settled down beside Nightpaw, the rabbit stretched out before them. There was just one thing missing…

Crowpaw was looking out of place, his happiness replaced with his usual grumpy attitude. Shadepaw raised her tail at him. "Come share!" she insisted.

The dark gray tom hesitated, but gave in. He tucked his paws between him as he sat beside Shadepaw. The others brought their own meals over to the apprentices. Together they formed a cluster of cats, sitting closer than Shadepaw had ever seen them do before – Stormfur and Mistyfoot's pelts were brushing, Feathertail swapped her shrew for Stoneheart's mouse, and even Nightpaw tore off a leg of the rabbit for Crowpaw. There was a warmth between them all that made Shadepaw's heart feel full as she tucked into her meal.

They ate in relative silence as the sun began to head for setting on the horizon – but when the meal was nothing but scraps and bones, and each cat was pleasantly full, Feathertail rolled onto her back and stretched out her paws.

"You know the thing I miss most?" she mewed. "My nest."

Mistyfoot purred. "Really? You and Stormfur have enough fur between you to make your own nests!"

Stormfur's eyes flashed, and he chuckled, "You can have some if you want, then!"

The way Mistyfoot's fur fluffed made Shadepaw's whiskers twitch with amusement. Was she the only cat to see how close they were getting? From the glances of the other cats, Shadepaw guessed not.

She looked at her brother, finding that he was laughing along with the others. _He looks up to Mistyfoot so much,_ she thought. _Is he upset at how close she is to another cat?_ She tried to feel for any indications, but there was nothing.

Shadepaw was surprised. The whole group – even Crowpaw – were eating and chatting and sharing tongues as if they were a Clan of their own, like Stoneheart had suggested they become. It'd only been a few days, and they hadn't even made much progress today – something that had irritated everyone earlier.

What would that friendship mean when they returned home? Would StarClan's message, and this lake, affect that closeness?

Shadepaw hoped it wouldn't.

"WindClan cats don't even sleep in nests," Crowpaw pointed out.

"So that's why you're all so prickly!" Nightpaw chuckled.

Crowpaw hissed, but there was no malice in it. He only lifted his chin and went on: "Our fur is thicker than you think! We sleep out in the open, under the stars!"

"Even the kits?" Shadepaw fretted.

Crowpaw shook his head. "Nah," he assured. "Kits and queens sleep in burrows we dug out into a nursery. It's not that we don't have dens, we just choose not to use them. Why not sleep with the wind in your fur?"

"Sounds disruptive," Stoneheart pointed out. He gave his chest fur a few licks. "It's too humid in the swamp for ShadowClan cats to sleep too close together. Usually only mates or littermates let their fur touch."

Nightpaw looked between Stoneheart and Crowpaw. "Doesn't sleeping like that get cold in leaf-bare?"

Stoneheart shrugged. "We make do," he answered. "No doubt it's colder in the moor than in the marshes."

Crowpaw flicked an ear. "We sleep in our dens when the wind is too cold, yeah," he said.

"That must be awesome, to sleep beneath the stars," Shadepaw breathed.

Crowpaw blinked at her, and then looked down at his own paws. "Well… it helps not having trees to block them out, y'know?"

"Well, in _RiverClan_ we have amazing nests!" Feathertail crowed, pushing herself up. She puffed out her thick-furred chest. "We decorate our nests with shells and feathers and stuff we find by the river!"

Nightpaw snorted. "What if you roll over onto something?"

"That's what our thick pelts are for," Stormfur joked.

Feathertail's whiskers twitched. "RiverClan mates give one another gifts to put in their nests, too!" she meowed proudly. "It's such a lovely tradition!"

Stoneheart chuckled. "That is _such_ and RiverClan thing."

"Oh? And what do ShadowClan cats do for those they love?" Feathertail huffed. "Share a frog?"

Stoneheart frowned. "For your information… I did give Rowanclaw something when we became mates."

"Oh?" Mistyfoot's ears pricked. "What was it?"

The others leaned in. A ShadowClan cat, show softness? Even Crowpaw was intrigued. Stoneheart blinked, looking indignant at the attention. But he sighed, and meowed, "I saw something shiny by the Thunderpath while on patrol. A Twoleg must have dropped it. Rowanclaw liked it a lot, though."

"So ShadowClan cats _do_ have hearts," chortled Stormfur, who nudged Stoneheart playfully. Stoneheart sighed and looked down at his paws, his tail flicking in embarrassment.

"And what would any of you do?" Stoneheart wondered, glaring at the others. "Hm?"

"Simple!" Stormfur purred. "I know where to find the shiniest stones in RiverClan territory – any mate of mine is getting the best I can find!"

"A snakeskin!" Nightpaw burst, tail flicking. "To show how far I'd go to keep them safe!"

"That's so reckless!" Mistyfoot admonished. Shadepaw wanted to say the same, but Nightpaw's sincerity was so genuine. "But… I'll admit," the blue-gray she-cat went on, "I wouldn't really know what to get another cat."

"What about you, Crowpaw?" Nightpaw wondered.

Crowpaw turned his muzzle away. "This is mouse-brained," he insisted.

"C'mon!" Nightpaw insisted. "Tell us!"

Crowpaw sighed and looked down at his paws. He grumbled, "Sheep's wool."

"That sounds lovely," Shadepaw assured him. Crowpaw didn't meet her eyes.

Shadepaw looked down at her own paws as the others turned expectant gazes on her. "I'm a medicine cat," she reminded them simply. "Taking a mate is against our code."

"That's fair," Feathertail said gently. "But they don't need to be your mate to show you care."

Shadepaw nodded her thanks to Feathertail.

"What about you, then, Feathertail?" Mistyfoot asked. "You haven't answered."

Feathertail blinked. "I…"

Suddenly, she looked rather uncomfortable. Stormfur got to his paws and stretched, meowing, "We need to get some sleep – we've got to make some real progress tomorrow, rain or not."

"True," Stoneheart sighed.

Shadepaw blinked at Feathertail, worried. Though she had started the conversation, the silvery she-cat had averted talking about herself – and even though the group seemed more then friendly, she still looked lonely. Shadepaw felt for the RiverClan cat, hoping time would heal whatever had wounded her heart.

But even as Shadepaw settled herself down beside Nightpaw, her own heart seemed troubled.

_I'm a medicine cat,_ she reflected. _I can't take a mate._ Her Clanmates could be nothing but friends, and sporadically patients. For the first time, Shadepaw felt the reality of such a commitment really hit home. Though today she'd gotten a taste of warriorhood, being a medicine cat was in her bones – and that meant the medicine cat code, too.

Shadepaw felt fur brush against her own, and realized that Crowpaw had settled down beside her. The touch sent a jolt of electricity through her that tingled to her toes. Shadepaw set her head down on her paws.

_Are medicine cats always destined to be so separate from their Clanmates?_ She wondered. She could feel Crowpaw's breathing settle into a steady rhythm of sleep. She thought of her brother, dragging a snakeskin in to his mate's nest and proclaiming his love for them. She thought of Crowpaw, giving some cat a lump of sheep's wool to warm their nest, trying to avoid directly telling them how he felt but showing it in his own way. It made her heart ache, knowing she would never be able to do the same for another, or have another do so for her.

_How is that fair?_


	23. Chapter 21

**Chapter 21**

_The next morning was crisp and _touched with a chill that Mistyfoot hadn't felt in a while. As she stood and stretched her muscles, she relished it, recalling the clinging heat that had permeated the forest back home and how miserable that had been. _Has the drought fully ended there, I wonder?_

She wasn't the first to awaken – Stoneheart and Crowpaw were up and alert, grooming themselves and chatting quietly. Mistyfoot blinked in shock at how easily Crowpaw seemed to fit in to the group now. Nowhere in the forest, beyond a Gathering, would a ShadowClan and WindClan cat talk to one another so readily.

Mistyfoot felt her belly rumble, but she wasn't starving, not after yesterday's big meal. Still, Nightpaw and Stormfur were perusing the prey pile, picking at its remnants for anything still worth eating. Just a few steps away, Shadepaw was burying the bones of the prey they'd eaten the night before, speaking reverently to StarClan over the remains.

_We're like a Clan,_ Mistyfoot thought. The group had only been traveling a pawful of days, but they had quickly come together through trial and tribulation and necessity. A warm feeling spread in Mistyfoot's chest – was this StarClan's intent?

Still, some part of her feared that closeness. There were good reasons the Clans kept to themselves for the most part. The warrior code demanded loyalty to one's Clan above all.

"Share?"

Mistyfoot blinked out of her own thoughts. Stormfur was standing before her, one of the mice they'd caught together yesterday in his jaws.

He laid it at her paws. "It's a little cold, but it'll do for the first part of the day, at least," he reasoned.

Mistyfoot nodded in agreement. They bent their heads together and shared the mouse meat between them. When their muzzles brushed, Mistyfoot felt a shock of electricity course through her pelt. She pulled away, perhaps a little too quickly.

Stormfur didn't seem to mind. "Feathertail is sleeping in, I think," he decided.

Mistyfoot glanced over at his sister, glad for the deflection. The silver tabby she-cat was still curled up in a tight ball, twitching in her sleep. "Should we wake her?"

Stormfur glanced up at the gray dawn. "Not just yet," he decided. "Everyone else is still shaking off sleep, after all."

Mistyfoot's gaze lingered on Feathertail. The silver tabby had been quick the change the subject away last night, even though she'd been the one to bring it up in the first place. She was a puzzle – eager and kind, but there was something deeper that she was having a hard time hiding. Mistyfoot could not forget just how swift she had been to believe Mistyfoot's dreams, not to mention how she had dodged every question Mistyfoot asked about why Stormfur had come along.

"Is Feathertail okay?" Mistyfoot asked quietly. "Did something happen in RiverClan?"

Stormfur's eyes clouded. The big gray tom looked down at his paws, and Mistyfoot guessed that he was fighting with whether or not he ought to tell her the truth. "Being half-Clan is hard," was all he said in the end. "We've all got our reasons for coming along."

Mistyfoot swallowed. "I'm sorry for pressing," she said.

Stormfur touched his muzzle to her ear. "Feathertail would claw my ears off if I told," he said. "Otherwise, I would never dream of keeping secrets from you."

Mistyfoot blinked at him, the warmth in his tone chasing away the chill in the air.

"Oh!"

Feathertail's mew cut through the quiet murmurs of the other cats. Mistyfoot's ears pricked as Stormfur padded away to stand beside his sister, who was awake – Feathertail's eyes were wide, and she looked as if she'd woken with a shock.

"I saw it!" she mewed, quietly at first. Her eyes locked with Mistyfoot's, wide and dazzled. "Mistyfoot, I _saw_ it!"

"Saw what?" Shadepaw wondered.

The group gathered around Feathertail, ears flicking and tails twisting in curiosity. Mistyfoot blinked at Feathertail, confused. The silver tabby she-cat got to her paws and shook out her pelt. She looked at them all eagerly.

"I saw the lake!" she proclaimed. "The same one that Mistyfoot saw – a big stretch of water, all filled up with stars!"

"Really?" Stoneheart breathed, his eyes wide.

Mistyfoot's heart raced. Her dream of the lake had nagged in the back of her mind, a worry that perhaps this was a wild goose chase after all. But Feathertail saw it too, and validation filled Mistyfoot from ears to toes.

"Did anyone else have a dream last night?" Shadepaw asked, her tail flicking.

Stoneheart shook his head, and Crowpaw only grunted.

"Did you learn anything new?" Nightpaw asked Feathertail, his eyes sparkling.

Feathertail shook her head. "No," she answered, "but I did hear the prophecy again." She looked up at Stormfur. "It sounded like Brambleclaw," she added sadly. Stormfur touched his nose to her cheek.

"It's better than nothing," Crowpaw decided.

Shadepaw nodded. "It must mean we're on the right track!" she said. "StarClan is still watching us!"

"Then we should keep moving!" Stormfur purred, looking up from his sister. "There's another Twolegplace ahead; I want to get away from it as soon as possible."

"Crowpaw, do you know our heading?" Stoneheart asked.

Crowpaw nodded, raising his chin. His tail flicked. "The Father points that way," he meowed.

Mistyfoot followed the direction of his tail. Like Stormfur had said, there was a Twolegplace ahead, and regrettably it seemed like the Father was pointing them in that direction. This Twolegplace was bigger than the last, and after what happened before Mistyfoot wasn't encouraged by the idea of this one.

_We're closer than before, though,_ Mistyfoot thought, looking over the group. Her eyes rested on Stormfur, who was so comfortably leading the way. _We can do this, together._

* * *

"Well, I _thought_ we could sneak by," sighed Stormfur. The big gray tom turned to look at the others. "Seems like this place goes on forever, though."

"That's all right," Shadepaw offered. The small she-cat looked nervous. "I'm sure we can do it."

Mistyfoot frowned. The Twolegplace was looming not far ahead – but what had stopped the group was a thin Twoleg fence, penning in some more sheep. From Crowpaw's sharp eyes, it seemed like that from here on it was paddock after paddock until they hit the Twolegplace proper.

"We'll have to be careful," Stoneheart meowed. Regrettably, the posts of the fence were thin posts of some hard Twoleg material – tall and impossible to grip with claws. Between them were strings of more Twoleg stuff, with sharp, spiky bits at regular intervals. "I'm sure there's a way around this mess."

The big gray tom padded up to the fence and gave it a sniff. "It's like some of the fences around the Carrionplace," he decided. "Those little spiky parts can rip out an unsuspecting cats' belly."

Mistyfoot grimaced. Feathertail's eyes widened. "Is there any way around it?"

Stoneheart nodded. He padded up and down the lengths of the fence, sniffing occasionally. Mistyfoot felt worry prick her pelt. How many times had Stoneheart had to deal with a deadly fence like this?

"Here we go," Stoneheart decided, a few paces down. He carefully gripped one of the lowest fence strings in his jaws, just between two of the spiky bits. The ground beneath was soft and lower, and when Stoneheart lifted upward, there was enough space for even Stormfur's fluffy body to squeeze through. "Hurry!"

Nightpaw, Shadepaw, and Crowpaw squeezed through first, with ease – they were the smallest of the group. Mistyfoot went next, nerves making her legs tremble. She felt the barest hint of the barbs against her flank and she shot into the field, bristling.

Feathertail came next, cursing as she left behind a clump of her own fur. Then came Stormfur, who, in an effort not to get stuck under another fence, emerged with dirt-clogged belly fur rather. "At least I kept my pelt!" he chuckled, which made Feathertail bristle.

Stormfur took the fence from Stoneheart, who squeezed through easily. Stoneheart checked his shoulders, and then checked Feathertail's pelt. He turned to the others and meowed, "Sometimes cats get really sick when they get cut by these fences. It's best just to not let it happen at all."

Shadepaw blinked. Mistyfoot wondered if she was aware of the sickness that Stoneheart was talking about – but she gave nothing away, only nodded in understanding.

"That was easier than it seemed!" Nightpaw assured, waving his tail.

"Only because you're the size of a mouse," Crowpaw grunted.

Nightpaw gave him a playful shove. "I'll bet supper that I can cross these fences better than you!"

"Nightpaw!" chided Shadepaw.

"You're on," Crowpaw decided, muzzle curled.

Shadepaw bristled. "Both of you! I swear!"

Mistyfoot's whiskers twitched in amusement. At least Nightpaw seemed eager to make things entertaining, rather than succumbing to worry like the older cats seemed to be.

Stormfur led the way across the paddock, avoiding the sheep that were grazing off of the dewy grass. When they reached the other side Nightpaw practically slid underneath the fence, with Crowpaw following.

"One down," Stormfur sighed as the rest managed to slip through. Shadepaw chased after Nightpaw and Crowpaw, chastising them for the risks they were taking. Stormfur's whiskers twitched. "Too many more to go."

"Maybe we can go around once we're through these sheep fields?" Stoneheart suggested.

"Maybe," Feathertail agreed. Her tail swished close. "I _really_ don't want to go through that Twolegplace."

Mistyfoot grunted her agreement. Crossing sheep fields were one thing – trying to wrangle this many cats through Twolegplace, with all the noise and dangers, was entirely another. No amount of experience could prepare any Clan cat for what lay inside the stone walls where Twolegs tread.

The group kept on track, covering the length of ground between paddocks with ease and good conversation. The day began to heat up, so they took refuge underneath some trees near sunhigh to beat the worst of the heat. Crowpaw and Nightpaw immediately began to wrestle, battering one another with their paws in a friendly practice duel.

It was all fine until the wind changed.

The smell crossed their noses, thick and strong – fox.

Suddenly the earth beneath the trees erupted with the barking snarls of foxes. Three of the russet-colored creatures emerged from their den below the trees, narrowing angry, beady eyes down their pointed snouts at the warriors.

"Up the trees!" screeched Stormfur.

Immediately the cats scattered. Mistyfoot's claws dug into the nearest tree and she pulled herself up, her heart beating in her ears. She crouched on a branch, trembling as the entire tree shook with the force of the foxes throwing themselves against the trunk.

Stoneheart and Feathertail were just a branch above her. Feathertail whimpered every time the foxes barked. Stormfur had managed to get himself up one of the other trees. Shadepaw was with him, helping Crowpaw up to her branch.

"Nightpaw?" Mistyfoot called. "Nightpaw, where are you?"

There was a yowl of fear.

Mistyfoot's heart clenched. She turned her head. Nightpaw was trying to make his way up the tree with Shadepaw and Crowpaw and Stormfur – but his claws couldn't hold the bark.

"Come on, Nightpaw!" Stormfur called.

"Please!" Shadepaw cried. "You can do it!"

The foxes surrounded the tree, barking and bristling and slavering as Nightpaw began to slide. One of the foxes leaped up and grasped its jaws around Nightpaw's legs, pulling him down with a screech of pain. The red-furred creatures surrounded the small black cat, only his tail poking through the mass of them.

Mistyfoot sprang.

It felt as if she were floating outside of her body. She watched herself fly off of her branch and land down below, heard herself scream in defiance at the creatures. Her mind flashed back to Snakerocks, to Shrewpaw and Nightpaw cowering in the face of the badger. She shoved her way through the foxes and rounded, bristling and snarling, Nightpaw beneath her.

_I lost one of you, I won't dare lose the other!_


	24. Chapter 22

**Chapter 22**

_Mistyfoot lashed out with her claws._ "Back!" she hissed. "Get _back_ you mange-pelts!"

One of the foxes tried to dart closer, but Mistyfoot's paw flashed out. She felt her claws connect, and the fox yelped as it pulled its bleeding muzzle away. Mistyfoot let out another snarl of fury.

Adrenaline was coursing through her body like white-hot energy. Her mind was focused on a single goal – protecting Nightpaw. The thud of Shrewpaw's body against the stones of Snakerocks kept playing over and over in her ears, and it made Mistyfoot's limbs plant hard as stone where she stood.

But one cat could only be so intimidating for so long.

"Nightpaw!" Shadepaw cried. "Get up here!"

"Mistyfoot!" Stoneheart wailed. "What are you _doing?"_

Mistyfoot could barely hear them. A fox would test its boundaries, and Mistyfoot would retaliate, quick as an adder. She felt Nightpaw behind her, his breath hot on her ankles. She could smell his fear-scent, same as it had been back at Snakerocks. As adventurous as the young tom was, he couldn't face three foxes.

_Neither can I._ Mistyfoot heard the small voice somewhere in the back of her mind, but there was too much noise to listen.

She felt something brush her side, and she flinched in shock. Had a fox broken through? No – it was Crowpaw.

The leggy apprentice was bristling, snarling at the foxes. He moved forward and lashed his claws at one, making it stagger back. Another fox retaliated with snapping jaws. Mistyfoot's muscles lurched as she swiped at the creature, only managing to catch whiskers with her claws.

"Get back up there, Crowpaw!" Mistyfoot hissed. "This is too dangerous!" _I can't bear to lose either of you! You're the only cat that came from WindClan!_

Crowpaw's blue eyes burned. "You're not expendable," he snapped. "And you're not my mentor! So stop acting like it!"

"_You're_ not expendable either, mouse-brain!" Nightpaw gasped, finding his voice.

"Shut up!" Crowpaw shot back, not looking at Nightpaw.

The foxes were riled, bleeding, and very upset. Mistyfoot saw them bunch their haunches. If all three sprang, there would be no hope of getting out without serious injuries. She planted her paws, eyes darting between the three foxes. Which one would attack first?

Something whizzed through the air, suddenly. It struck one of the foxes on the hip, making them buckle and yelp in pain. A chestunut clattered to the earth as the other two foxes froze, confused.

Just as confused, Mistyfoot looked up. A big tabby shape was in one of the branches of a nearby chestnut tree – and it jumped down, landing with a grunt just beyond the foxes. The tabby tom turned to the foxes and snarled.

Furious, the foxes turned away.

"Git goin'!" the tabby tom yowled. "I got these narrow-nosed varmints!"

The smell of fresh prey overrode the stink of fox. The foxes smelled it, too; they licked their lips and yipped in excitement as the big tabby tom tore off through the grass. The three foxes followed, barking eagerly.

Mistyfoot's adrenaline left, and her legs felt like water. She did everything she could not to fall over – only when Stormfur put his shoulder against hers did she feel even the least bit stable.

The other cats were scrambling down their trees. Mistyfoot did a quick head count, and felt a lot better. Shadepaw immediately went about chastising Crowpaw and Nightpaw. Stoneheart sniffed every inch of Mistyfoot to make sure she was okay. Feathertail fretted over every cat, her pretty eyes sparkling with worry. Everyone was safe. _Only thanks to that tabby._

"We need to move, _now,"_ insisted Stoneheart. "I saw an old barn from my branch. Let's go."

* * *

The barn was made of stone, and had a door that was easy for a cat to push open with their muzzle. It was smaller than the other barns the traveling cats had stayed in, but it felt cozier – it smelled of soft moss and hay, and there were nests made here and there already. There was a small ladder leading up to a loft that was shrouded in darkness. No prey-smell, but there weren't foxes here, and there was another scent overtop of it all…

Mistyfoot's nose twitched. "Smells like that tabby in here," she determined. "Is this his den?"

"I hope he doesn't mind," Stormfur commented. "Where else could we go?"

"Lay down here," Shadepaw instructed.

Mistyfoot watched the young tortoiseshell guide Nightpaw to one of the newer nests. The young tom's back leg was bleeding, and Shadepaw stooped over it to examine. Worry shot through Mistyfoot – was Nightpaw going to be okay?

"Crowpaw, lick the wound clean," Shadepaw instructed.

Crowpaw didn't protest, to Mistyfoot's surprise. The lean gray tom bent his head and began to clean Nightpaw's wound. Feathertail helped, wrapping her plumy tail around the small apprentice to soothe him when he winced.

Mistyfoot spotted cobwebs glistening in a corner. She wound them around her paw and limped over to Shadepaw. "Will these help?"

Shadepaw blinked gratefully. "Always," she breathed. "Thanks."

She unwound the cobwebs carefully from Mistyfoot's paw, and then laid them gently on Nightpaw's leg. Mistyfoot winced. The gashes were huge compared to the rest of Nightpaw. They weren't horribly deep, but the risk of infection had to be high.

"I need herbs," Shadepaw fretted. "Marigold, horsetail, _something."_

"I doubt we're going to find any around here," Stoneheart grunted. "But we'll look as soon as we're sure the foxes are gone."

The door to the barn creaked, scraping against the stone floor. Mistyfoot tensed, unsheathing her claws. Stormfur and Stoneheart bristled, squaring their shoulders and forming a wall around Nightpaw. Crowpaw joined them, lashing his tail.

"Hol' up, youngsters," called a voice. The plump tabby from before waddled in to the barn, kicking the door shut behind him with a hind leg. "S'just me."

"And who are _you?"_ snarled Crowpaw.

The brown tabby tilted his head. "Friendly lot, you are," he grunted.

"We're sorry," Mistyfoot offered. "Thank you for helping us with the foxes. I'm Mistyfoot – these are Crowpaw, Stormfur, Stoneheart, Feathertail, Shadepaw and Nightpaw." She pointed at each cat with her tail.

The tabby tom blinked, taking in all the names. His eyes darted between them all. "The heck kinda names are those?" he wondered.

"Clan names," Stoneheart responded.

"Clans?" the tabby tom frowned. "Ain't no Clans 'round these parts. Never heard of 'em."

"We're not from around here," Crowpaw pointed out.

The tabby tom blinked at them. "Clearly!" he huffed. "Every cat 'round here knows those foxes nest up out there! Y'all got cotton for brains?"

"I'm sorry to interrupt," Shadepaw mewed, "but… do you know where we can find any marigold? Horsetail or even chervil or dock would do, too." Her eyes were round. "One of the foxes hurt my brother, and he needs something before it gets infected!"

The tabby blinked, as if Shadepaw had unloaded too much information onto him. "I, ah… I dunno off-paw, young gal, but… maybe? I can go look."

Shadepaw's eyes sparkled. "Oh, thank you!" she breathed. "Marigold would be best – it's a yellow flower, with long, thin petals. Dock has big, big leaves, and chervil is…"

The tom's whiskers twitched. "S'all right, youngin; I think I know where a bit'a marigold grows. Y'all sit tight!"

"Let me go with you," Stoneheart grunted.

"Nah," the tabby sighed. "Don' worry; you'll just git in the way. Stay put, y'hear? I'll be back before ya know it."

As quick as the tabby had arrived, he left, kicking the door shut behind him. The Clan cats shuffled in the barn. Darkness was beginning to strengthen inside, with only a few shafts of sunlight pouring through the stones.

"Can we even trust him?" Stoneheart wondered, staring at the barn door. "We don't even know his name!"

"He saved us, and he knows where things grow around here," Shadepaw pointed out. "That's all I need right now."

Stoneheart frowned. He turned his gaze to Mistyfoot. "And what were _you_ thinking? You're part of this prophecy, too; we can't afford to lose any of us, and you pull a mouse-brained stunt like that? Have you got bees in your brain, Mistyfoot?"

Mistyfoot bristled, indignation bubbling in her. She stared at her brother incredulously. "I will _not_ let another apprentice die on my watch!" she snapped at him. Why didn't he understand? She pushed past the other Clan cats, ignoring their shocked expressions, and jumped onto the wooden slats of the ladder leading upwards to the loft.

Up here it was quiet, and Mistyfoot could only hear gentle murmuring below her. She flopped down onto the hay and sighed, feeling exhausted and drained to her toes.

_I told Stoneheart about Shrewpaw – why doesn't he understand?_ Mistyfoot stared at her paws. _I feel like a failure, even after all this time. Even after all I've accomplished with these cats. When will it be enough?_

Mistyfoot was only alone for a few minutes. Soon enough she heard the ladder creak with the weight of a cat, and a pelt brushed against her in the dark. Mistyfoot tensed until she recognized Stormfur's amber eyes in the gloom.

"Room for one more?" he asked gently.

Mistyfoot only nodded. There was no point in sending him away. She wasn't angry at the others, anyway – just furious with herself, especially for snapping at Stoneheart. She felt like a petulant kit.

Stormfur settled down beside her, tucking his paws underneath him. "Comfy up here," he commented. "A nice place for a chat, if you're willing."

Mistyfoot shifted. "I'm… willing," she admitted.

"Then can I ask what that was about down there?"

Mistyfoot didn't meet his gaze as she told Stormfur about Shrewpaw. She stared out through one of the holes in the barn wall, at the world darkening all around her. When she was done the sun was set, and an owl hooted in the distance.

"I don't even feel like a proper warrior anymore," she finished. "And, honestly… I don't even know if Tinystar will let me back into ThunderClan when we come back."

Stormfur twitched his whiskers. "Well, Tinystar must think a lot of you – I'm still waiting on my first apprentice!"

"But that's just it!" Mistyfoot insisted, lashing her tail. _"Was_ he sure of me, or did he set me up to fail? Tinystar was so angry with me before we all left. I have no idea why but I can only assume he thinks I'm some danger to ThunderClan!"

Stormfur's gaze softened, and he rested his tail on her shoulders. "Leaders often have a lot more on their minds than we know," he reasoned. "Shrewpaw's death was really unfortunate; but it's not an indication of your abilities as a mentor. It was out of your control! You'll get another chance, if you let it happen."

Mistyfoot blinked. How many times was she going to let the cats around her tell her the same thing before it sank in? '_If I let it happen,'_ she repeated in her mind. That meant letting go of her guilt. Was she ready to do that?

"I'm sorry for snapping," she breathed.

Stormfur purred gently. "I know. And you have a good reason – but it was a really mouse-brained thing to do, Mistyfoot. You've got cats that care about you on this journey. Think of how you feel when you think of Shrewpaw's death – don't you think we'd all feel the same way if we had to watch you die?"

Mistyfoot swallowed, a lump forming in her throat. Did they all really feel so strongly about her? The thought threatened to sweep her off her paws.

"I'll do better," she promised, her voice cracking.

Stormfur touched his muzzle to her cheek, and Mistyfoot breathed in his warm scent. The RiverClan tom barely smelled like RiverClan anymore, and something about that made the gesture even more comforting. Sitting with him, like this… it felt like every worry was melting away.

"Excuse me…" a small voice mewed.

Mistyfoot's head shot up, her heart racing. Shadepaw was peering at them from the top of the ladder. Her eyes were round, and Mistyfoot wondered just how much of their conversation she had heard.

"The loner is back," Shadepaw meowed.

"Thanks," Stormfur offered.

Shadepaw nodded and disappeared back down the ladder.

"We should go, then," Stormfur decided.

_No, I want to stay!_ Mistyfoot cried inside. The space beside her filled with cold air as Stormfur got to his paws. _With you, up here, and nothing else to worry about. Just for a little while!_

But she couldn't say that. Though it was a powerful feeling, now wasn't the right time. Mistyfoot got to her own paws, shaking off a bit of stray hay. Had Stoneheart told the others about Shrewpaw? Would Stormfur? She couldn't worry about that anymore.

All she could do was look forward – to the journey ahead, and wherever it led.


	25. Chapter 23

**Chapter 23**

_Shadepaw grimaced at the taste of_ the marigold the loner had brought. It wasn't ruined, but she guessed that it must have come from someplace near a Thunderpath from the way it reeked. As she smeared the poultice onto Nightpaw's leg, she hoped that the smell of the plant didn't matter when it came to healing her brother's wound.

"Thank you," Feathertail purred from behind Shadepaw.

"Aw, it ain't nothin'," the loner rasped.

Shadepaw's ears twitched at his funny way of talking. Did all loners talk like that? Ravenpaw didn't.

"What should we call you?" Stormfur asked. "You never introduced yourself."

The loner paused, thinking. Then, he rumbled, "Well… I was known by lots'a names back in the day… the one I liked most though was Purdy. It ain't nothin' like your weird names, but it does me just fine."

"Purdy, then," Mistyfoot mewed. "Thank you."

Shadepaw's frowned, forcing herself to concentrate on her work. She hadn't meant to overhear Mistyfoot and Stormfur talking in the loft, but once she heard Mistyfoot begin to talk about how Shrewpaw's death had affected her, something had made Shadepaw stay and listen. _I had no idea it still affected her so much!_ She thought.

But that wasn't what bothered her most – Mistyfoot felt like Tinystar hated her. _That's not true!_ Shadepaw thought. Annoyance at Brackenfur and Tinystar rose in her, a surprising feeling once dormant on the journey. She chewed more marigold to perhaps excuse herself if she were to growl at the thought. _They wouldn't listen to me! The mist sign _wasn't_ a bad omen – and now Mistyfoot is suffering for it._

As she applied another layer of poultice to Nightpaw's leg, Shadepaw wondered if she should tell Mistyfoot about the sign. Nightpaw, too – the misinterpretation of the vision had affected both cats. It drew on their insecurities, on their shared desire to prove themselves to Tinystar. Would knowing the truth help, or would it hurt? Things like that just weren't as cut and dry as laying marigold on a wound.

"Boy, that loner sure can talk," Nightpaw breathed.

Shadepaw blinked back to the present. Purdy was droning on and on, talking about one of his old Twoleg owners. "Yeah," she agreed. She busied herself with folding fresh cobweb – gathered by Crowpaw – over Nightpaw's leg.

"You… don't seem to be listening," Nightpaw pointed out. "Something's on your mind, I can feel it."

"I'm just focusing," Shadepaw insisted. She touched her nose to her brother's forehead. "You're hurt, and I can't bear it."

Nightpaw sighed and laid his head down in the straw. "I suppose," he breathed.

"Get some rest," Shadepaw told him. "That's all you can do for now."

Nightpaw nodded, closing his eyes. Shadepaw turned and stretched before lying down, tucking her paws beneath her. The others were gathered around, listening to Purdy chatter away like a jackdaw. There was something soothing about the rusty mew of the loner cat – it drove away the worries buzzing about in Shadepaw's head.

"I go from house 'ta house," Purdy mewed, "but this place 'as always been a home 'ta me. I used ta live near 'ere with an old Upwalker, but he passed on a while back. Now its just me."

"So… you're _not_ a kittypet?" Feathertail surmised.

Purdy shook his head.

"But you go to Twolegs for food," Crowpaw grunted. He scratched behind one of his ears. "And you shelter with them. Might as well be a kittypet."

Purdy's tail flicked. "You'd be a cotton-brained fool 'ta not take what ya can get 'round these parts," the loner defended. "Ain't nothin' wrong with being a housecat! I'm happy with how I live my life."

Crowpaw bristled, but said nothing more. Shadepaw was grateful for that. Purdy was a hospitable cat, there was no reason to harass him.

"So…" Purdy cast his eyes around, looking at the journeying cats with curiosity in his amber gaze. "Who're y'all?"

"We're Clan cats," Feathertail answered. "We come from a forest that's far away."

Purdy frowned. "Don't know nothing 'bout no Clans," he admitted. "What're ya doing so far from home?"

Stoneheart frowned. Shadepaw guessed he was wondering if they should reveal what they were doing to this outsider. Mistyfoot seemed to sense this, too – she nodded to her brother and mewed, "It can't hurt – plus, he knows this area way better than we do. Maybe he can help?"

"We're on a mission from StarClan," Stoneheart explained.

"StarClan?" Purdy repeated, looking confused.

"Our warrior ancestors," Stormfur elaborated. "When Clan cats die, our spirits go up into the stars to be with them."

"They send us signs and omens," Shadepaw put in, "to help guide us."

Purdy tipped his head. "Huh," was all he said.

Shadepaw shifted her paws uncomfortably. She hadn't thought about how odd the Clan's life and beliefs would sound to an outsider before – she never had to. Even Barley recognized the existence of StarClan, and respected Clan beliefs. _Does he think we're mouse-brained?_

"StarClan sent us a message," Mistyfoot mewed on. "We're to find a lake, somewhere beyond our territory. Supposedly there's something there that can help us."

Purdy blinked. "Well, there's a lake not far from 'ere," he stated. " 'Bout two days beyond that there town."

"Town?" Feathertail repeated. "You mean the Twolegplace?"

Purdy nodded. "Aye."

"Is there a way to go around the Twolegplace?" Stormfur asked. Hope shimmered in his eyes.

Purdy grimaced. "If yer lookin' fer speed… no," he admitted. "It's always quicker ta go through 'an go 'round. It'd take ya'll four days just to get 'round it."

The hope died in Stormfur's eyes. "Oh," he sighed.

Shadepaw glanced back at Nightpaw, who was resting. His leg was fine for now, but infection could easily set it in he had to walk on it for too long. Shadepaw frowned.

"Whatever we do… we need to take Nightpaw into account. He's hurt," Shadepaw told the others. "He'll only be able to recover with rest, and he can't do that if we're always walking. And if infection sets in…"

"So what should we do?" Stoneheart wondered. "Is it better to cut through the Twolegplace or go around?"

No one had an answer for the ShadowClan tom. Purdy looked around at them all and flicked his tail. "Well, no matter what it sounds like ya'll need a place ta rest. Yer welcome to my humble home, fer as long as ya'll need."

"Is there any place to hunt around here?" asked Crowpaw. "I'm starving."

"Oh, don' worry 'bout it none," Purdy insisted with a twitch of his whiskers. "I'll take care'a ya'll."

Shadepaw felt affection in her heart for the old loner, and a twinge of sadness. Purdy looked so happy to have cats to care for. From his rumpled fur and how he seemed to talk way too much, Shadepaw guessed it had been a long time since he'd had company.

"We insist on helping," Stoneheart meowed. He flicked his tail to Feathertail, who got to her paws. "In a Clan, every cat contributes."

Purdy frowned. "Well, ya'll don't know left from right 'round here – so let me show ya, at least! Don' need ya runnin' into them foxes again…"

The old loner led the way out of the barn, Stoneheart and Feathertail following. Shadepaw wished them luck on their hunt. Would Purdy chatter their ears off the whole way? It would be interesting if they came back with any prey, the way that loner prattled on.

"So… what do we do?" Mistyfoot wondered, when the others were gone. She'd turned to the cats remaining, her blue eyes conflicted. "Do we go through the Twolegplace, or around?"

"We shouldn't go through," Crowpaw said firmly. "It's noisy, dangerous, and Twolegs will be _everywhere."_

Shadepaw glanced back at Nightpaw, who was still sleeping. She admitted, "Nightpaw will slow us down no matter which way we go. This mission is too important to waste more time than necessary. Maybe Purdy can help us?"

"That old kittypet?" Crowpaw scoffed. "We have then sun and stars for direction – we don't need some talkative elder to worry about."

"With just that to guide us, a single cloud or rainy day could put us in circles," Shadepaw pointed out. "We could use all the help we can get."

"Shadepaw is right," Mistyfoot agreed. "I don't like the idea of going through the Twolegplace, but if Purdy can help us, we should take it. The Twolegplace shortcut would get us to the lake much faster, even with Nightpaw's injury. Stormfur?"

Stormfur frowned. The gray tom hadn't said a thing the whole time, but he looked deep in thought. Shadepaw found her heart beating as she wondered what he'd decide.

"We can't make a decision until the others have said their peace," Stormfur pointed out. "Let's wait until they return. There'll be fresh-kill, and we'll have all night to think about it."

"Sounds fair enough," Crowpaw grunted. "But don't think I'll change my mind."

"Wouldn't dream of it," Stormfur purred.

_Whatever we decide,_ Shadepaw thought, _it needs to be sooner, rather than later – for Nightpaw's sake, and the sake of the Clans._

* * *

Moonhigh had come when each cat had eaten their fill, and all of the journeying cats and Purdy were stretched out in the hay, each in their own makeshift nests. Nightpaw was still sleeping, and Shadepaw and the others were content to keep it that way – they were discussing their options and opinions on the far side of the barn, in hushed tones. Crowpaw dozed nearby, having already dug his heels into his own thoughts on the matter.

"The shortcut is a risk we might have to take," Stoneheart whispered. "I definitely don't want to run into any more foxes out here."

After a moment, Feathertail nodded. "But is it the right decision?" she wondered. "There are just as many dangers in a Twolegplace – Thunderpaths, Twolegs, rogues…"

"I wish we had a sign," Shadepaw sighed.

"Me, too," Stormfur admitted.

Crowpaw's head shot up from his nest, his blue eyes wide. "Guys," he breathed.

Shadepaw blinked at the WindClan apprentice. Something about his entire body seemed different than Crowpaw's usual demeanor.

"What'sit now, youngster?" Purdy mewed. "Quiet fer Nightpaw, y'hear?"

Crowpaw ignored him, turning his piercing blue gaze to the Clan cats. "I just dreamed of the lake," he meowed. "It was full of stars… and I heard the prophecy."

"Dreams, prophecy?" Purdy repeated, looking baffled. "Huh?"

Shadepaw's heart soared. "A sign!" she breathed, looking at the others. StarClan had answered their dilemma!

"Did the prophecy change at all?" Mistyfoot questioned.

Crowpaw shook his head. "No, but it sounded more urgent."

"Then we need to go through Twolegplace," Stormfur decided. "StarClan wouldn't sound so urgent if we weren't running out of time."

Purdy stared at them all as if they were suddenly ducks. "Ya'll are decidin' this… based on a _dream?"_

"We told you, StarClan sends us signs," Feathertail told him. "They just spoke to Crowpaw!"

Purdy did not look any more understanding. Shadepaw felt for him – didn't loners or rogues have any sort of ancestors looking out for them? What happened to their spirits when they died? What guided them through difficult times?

"Can you help us through Twolegplace, Purdy?" Stormfur wondered. "We've imposed on you already, but your help would be greatly appreciated."

"Ah…" Purdy hesitated. Then he sighed, his whiskers twitching. "A'course, youngsters. I'll help."

_Thank StarClan_, Shadepaw thought, relief flooding her. She couldn't imagine how lost they'd get if they had to wander that Twolegplace without a guide. The others looked just as pleased, even Crowpaw, who had before wanted nothing to do with the idea of the shortcut.

"We'll go sunset tomorrow," Purdy decided. "Nightpaw can git his strength up, an' Upwalkers are a lot less active 'round that time."

Stoneheart frowned, not looking pleased with the delay – Crowpaw wasn't happy, either. Even Mistyfoot looked annoyed. But no cat could complain, not when Purdy was being so kind as to help.

"It's decided, then," Stormfur mewed. "We'll get as much rest and food as possible between now and then. We're almost there!"

The others purred at the thought, but Shadepaw saw the worry flickering in all their eyes. Yes, they were closer to the lake, and they were on the right path… but what would they find when they got there?

What was StarClan's message?


	26. Chapter 24

**Chapter 24**

_The fur along Mistyfoot's spine prickled_ uncomfortably. Around her, the others were feeling the same – only Purdy moved confidently through the streets and alleys of the nighttime Twolegplace.

Mistyfoot had to admit that Purdy had been right, at least – moving at night was a lot less hectic. There were no Twolegs about at all, and only the occasional monster rolled slowly down the web of Thunderpaths that criss-crossed between the Twoleg nests. The bright yellow lights that shone out through the Twoleg windows, as Purdy called them, were going out one by one. Only a few stayed on.

"Some Twolegs're nocturnal," Purdy had warned. "Like most cats, y'know. But they don' much like goin' out at night."

As far as Mistyfoot could tell, there were two kinds of Thunderpaths – the big, wide ones that she was used to, where monsters ("cars," as Purdy called them) would barrel down with impunity, and these smaller ones, where the monsters were far less aggressive. Mistyfoot had no idea why – were the bigger paths for going into battle, and these smaller ones like hunting trails?

Either way, she knew that crossing these smaller Thunderpaths was much easier than the larger ones. Safer, too, since the monsters moved so slowly.

"What kind of path is this?" Nightpaw wondered. The small tom was limping beside Purdy, his eyes alight with adventure and excitement despite his injury.

"S'called a sidewalk," Purdy answered chipperly. "Twolegs use 'em to walk on when their cars won't take 'em."

Mistyfoot looked down at the hard path beneath her paws. It felt like a Thunderpath, but the color was different, and it was just off to the side, with a strip of grass between it and the big gray trail. _A Twoleg hunting trail?_ She wondered. _Why put it so close to a Thunderpath, then?_

A hiss behind her made Mistyfoot jump. She spun, fur bristling, claws scraping against the sidewalk, expecting to see a dog or a hostile kittypet or worse, a Twoleg – but it was only Crowpaw, his fur standing on end in shock as he glared into a bush.

"What is it?" hissed Stoneheart, eyes blazing.

"I-I don't know!" Crowpaw insisted. "It… It was like a rat, just…"

"It was an opossum," Shadepaw purred, her eyes twinkling in amusement. She laid her tail along Crowpaw's bristling shoulders. "Trust me, Crowpaw; they're more frightened of you than you are if them."

Crowpaw grumbled, disgruntled. "I hate this place."

"Plenty'a opossum 'round here," Purdy chuckled. "Not much good fer eatin', gotta say. They eat outta those scrapcans, and it colors their meat."

"Scrapcans?" Stormfur queried. Mistyfoot frowned. There were so many kittypet terms she was starting to wonder how they remembered them all.

"These things righ' here," Purdy mewed, gesturing with his nose. A tall, squarish shape was on the grass between the sidewalk and the Thunderpath. Mistyfoot's nose curled – it had a sour, sweet smell to it, something akin to crow-food but not quite there. "Upwalkers put their old food in, and it goes't the dump just down the way on the backs'a big ol' cars."

"Smells like the Carrionplace," Stoneheart mewed with a curious sniff. "I suppose if monsters take them, the Carrionplace can't be that far off."

Purdy kept them moving at a leisurely pace, pointing out Twoleg objects here and there. Mistyfoot learned about how some scrapcans won't ever have food in them, and how to tell which houses had dogs that ran loose – they marked their fences with a horrid-smelling marker that penetrated the fog of Twoleg smells.

They crossed a few more Thunderpaths. Mistyfoot was losing track of their position – looking up at the stars wasn't helping, either. Nothing seemed to be changing, and despite Purdy's helpful directions everything looked the same in the dark, even to her night-eyes.

"Are we there yet?" Crowpaw groaned. The WindClan tom was testy, jumping at small sounds and getting no end of teasing for it. "Everything is starting to run together."

"Don' you cats walkabout at night?" Purdy wondered, looking back.

"Most Clan cats hunt by daylight, actually," Stormfur explained.

Stoneheart's whiskers twitched. "My eyes are just fine – ShadowClan hunts by night as well as day."

Purdy frowned. "That's real strange, gotta say."

"I'm sorry," Nightpaw sighed. He flopped down on his haunches, stretching out his injured leg. "This is taking so long because of me." Shadepaw padded forward and gave the poultice a check, licking her brother between his ears. Mistyfoot felt a pang – Nightpaw looked miserable.

Purdy shrugged. "S'no big deal, youngster," the old loner purred. "Told'ja it'd take at least two days t'get through the town. We're almost halfway there."

"Lead on, then," Nightpaw mewed, pushing himself to his paws.

Purdy nodded and obliged, leading the way across a small, quiet Thunderpath. Mistyfoot frowned, looking up at the buildings on this side. The sidewalk here was cracked and not as well kept, and the nests were tall and old looking. There weren't any wooden fences, either – instead they were made of a hard mesh that Purdy called "chain-links". At least it looked like a cat might be able to dash up easily.

"Care 'round here, youngsters," Purdy hissed suddenly, raising his tail. He pointed with his tail-tip to what lay beyond the chain-link fence – a flat space of earth, piled high with various broken Twoleg objects. There were several scrapcans on their side, their contents spilling out onto the ground.

Stoneheart pulled up his lip. "Rats," he warned.

Mistyfoot felt Feathertail stiffen beside her as Purdy nodded in confirmation. "Nasty things," the old loner complained. "Like hangin' out 'round here."

"Let's hurry, then," Feathertail insisted. Her blue eyes were round. "We don't need any rats messing with us!"

The cats picked up the pace, following Purdy along the fence, towards another Thunderpath. The other side looked more promising than this particular area, and Mistyfoot hoped that Purdy's resting spot was there, too.

Suddenly, a chorus of squeaks rose from behind the fence.

"Run!" snapped Stoneheart. "Rats!"

Purdy, bristling, took off. The Clan cats followed. Mistyfoot cursed the cramped confines of the Twolegplace – in the forest, the cats could have scattered into the trees, but scattering here might mean getting hit by a monster, or worse, getting lost in the maze.

Nightpaw was pushed to the front, Crowpaw and Shadepaw flanking him. Feathertail streaked by, Stormfur just a pace behind. Mistyfoot heard a hiss of pain and skidded to a stop, her pads burning against the sidewalk. She spun, and her heart dropped.

"Stoneheart!" she cried.

Her brother was standing squarely before the rats, using his bulky body to block their progress. He clawed at any that tried to test him, hissing and spitting curses.

"Go!" Stoneheart snapped. "I can handle rats!"

Mistyfoot, bristling, bounded to his side. She pinned a rat beneath her paws and killed with a harsh bite to the throat, tossing its body onto the Thunderpath.

"So can I," she declared, standing beside him.

The rats decided enough was enough. They swarmed as one, rearing up and crashing down on Mistyfoot and Stoneheart. Their deafening squeaks filled Mistyfoot's ears as she flailed with her paws, striking down rat after rat. Stoneheart fought by her side, tail lashing and eyes burning with ferocity.

"They're not backing down!" Mistyfoot mewed, worried. She pulled away from a rat trying to catch its teeth in her muzzle.

There was a flash of dark gray fur, and Stormfur was on her other side. He burst into the rats, using his huge, bulky body to displace the creatures. They tried to fasten their teeth in his fur, but found it too thick for their liking.

"We need ta move!" Purdy cried out from behind.

Mistyfoot knew the loner was right – but the rats might follow them if they fled. Stoneheart and Stormfur pushed into the creatures together as Mistyfoot took up ensuring none got past her. She killed one with a hard swipe that slammed it into the nearby fence, and another by landing on it with all her weight – but there were still too many.

She looked up from her kill to see Stoneheart drown in a pile of rats. _"Stoneheart!"_ she yowled.

Stormfur, in a much better position, shook off his attackers and dove into the pile, slashing and biting and screeching, fluffing up his fur to thrice his size. He roared like a lion, and the rats flowed off of Stoneheart like a river, seemingly either scared of him or satisfied with what they accomplished.

Mistyfoot rushed up to Stoneheart. He was lying on his side, his blue eyes open in shock. Blood trickled down from a wound on his shoulder.

"I… hate rats…" the ShadowClan tom rasped.

"I hope I never see another," rasped Mistyfoot. She pressed her muzzle into her brother's fur, relieved he was alive.

She offered her shoulder to Stoneheart, who leaned on it as he pulled himself to his paws. He hissed in pain as he put weight on his injured leg, choosing to hold it up just a bit instead. Stormfur took up his other side, and together they hobbled Stoneheart to the others. The apprentice's eyes were wide, and Feathertail's fur was fluffed with anxiety.

Shadepaw sniffed his wound. "He needs treatment," she judged immediately. "Rat bites are very prone to infection!"

Purdy nodded. "M'safe-place ain't far," he promised. "C'mon."

* * *

The old loner had moved with twice as much speed. The Clan cats struggled to follow, but soon enough, as the moon began to set, they reached what Purdy promised was an abandoned Twoleg nest – and to Mistyfoot's eye, it looked like that was the truth. It was old, overgrown, with some of the window-holes lacking that pane of clear stuff that was in all the others. The grass was tall, too, hemmed in by a dilapidated wooden fence.

Purdy pushed aside a loose wooden board, ushering the cats in. Stoneheart had a hard time crouching, and as soon as she squeezed through he lay down where he stood, his eyes glassy with pain. Mistyfoot curled her tail around him, her heart beating in her ears. She didn't care about anything else.

_You can't leave me,_ she thought, sorrow welling in her throat. She licked his ears fiercely. _Please! StarClan, you can't take him!_

Shadepaw was immediately tending him, cleaning the wound. Crowpaw found her some cobwebs, and she teased them onto Stoneheart's wound with a nod of thanks. The others looked on, their eyes glowing with worry in the gloom of the musty old nest.

"I've cleaned it," Shadepaw reported, "but infection might still set in."

Stoneheart's ears flicked. "I've… had worse," he promised weakly.

"This is _your_ fault, you stinking loner!" Crowpaw snapped suddenly, dark blue eyes blazing. "You didn't have to lead us past that rat's nest! Now _two_ of us are injured!"

Purdy flattened his ears, taken aback.

"Enough!" Stormfur yowled, lashing his tail. "Lashing out at Purdy won't do any good now! We need to take care of Stoneheart!"

Crowpaw flattened his ears, lashing his tail along the dusty ground. He turned away, however, and paced to a far corner of the den to sulk in anger. Nightpaw, frowning, limped over to sit beside him.

"I'm sorry about Crowpaw," Stormfur sighed, fur flattening. "But he's right. Our mission is important, and Stoneheart is one of the cats that StarClan spoke to. Him being injured… it puts our mission in jeopardy."

Purdy's eyes flashed. "I don' git your mission," he admitted, "but I am real sorry about those rats. This part'a the town is rife with 'em, and there was a nest'a mean cats not far off. I didn' want to cross into their territory. We'll be outta here by sunup tomorrow."

"Could there be any burdock around?" Shadepaw asked.

"Don' rightly know, youngster," Purdy mused.

Shadepaw's tail-tip flicked, and she stretched up onto her hind paws to stare out one of the window holes. "It's so overgrown out there… there just might be something I can use."

"You're not going alone," Mistyfoot declared.

"Go," Stormfur meowed. "Feathertail and I will find something to eat. I need to get the taste of rat out of my mouth."

"I'll help ya," Purdy promised, nodding at Stormfur. "There's mice 'round here, just you see."

While they arranged their hunting party, Mistyfoot leaped onto the window sill and down into the garden. The grass stretched up past her nose, tickling her whiskers and making her sneeze. Shadepaw landed with a huff just behind her.

"Burdock is easy to find," Shadepaw promised. "It's got big, round, spiky flowers – they're purple. It looks like burrs."

Mistyfoot nodded, putting her eyes to work. Shadepaw walked beside her. They pushed through the grass, Mistyfoot's ears pricked for any threats. There was no way she was going to let rats sneak up on she or Shadepaw.

Not for the first time, Mistyfoot was grateful that Shadepaw had chosen to come along on this journey. And yet… "Shadepaw, why did you come with us?" she asked.

Shadepaw jumped, clearly not expecting the question. Her whiskers twitched. "I, uh… StarClan told me to come, like I said."

Mistyfoot frowned, noting the way that Shadepaw wasn't meeting her eye. "You can tell me," she promised, flanking the medicine cat apprentice. "If you want, that is."

"There's nothing more to it," Shadepaw insisted, her eyes flashing with a familiar temper. "We need to find that burdock, not chatter like jackdaws."

Mistyfoot frowned, and decided to drop it. _She's just like Tinystar,_ Mistyfoot sighed.

It didn't take much longer for Shadepaw to find the burdock. She purred as she dug into the roots of the plant, pulling up the thick tubers.

"It's not a lot," she admitted, "but it'll stave off infection for now."

"Good," Mistyfoot breathed. "Think it'll last through this place?"

"It should," Shadepaw said, "so long as there are no more rats."

Mistyfoot swallowed. Shadepaw picked up the pungent roots in her jaws and the two she-cats returned to the abandoned nest. Mistyfoot couldn't help but thank StarClan for Shadepaw being here, even if she was tight-lipped about why she'd come.

_Without her, Stoneheart might have died here,_ Mistyfoot thought grimly. _Thank you, StarClan, for sending Shadepaw. I don't know what I'd do without my brother…_


	27. Chapter 25

**Chapter 25**

_Shadepaw was prodded awake as red _light filtered through the gaps in the abandoned nest's walls. She thanked Feathertail for waking her before getting to her paws to tend her patients, chewing on a leftover shrew as she worked.

Nightpaw's leg was healing well, but Shadepaw still feared infection. Her connection to her brother told her that he was feeling minor soreness, and not much else. Stoneheart was more concerning, however; the wound wasn't red or angry but it needed more time than the traveling cats had to heal. Shadepaw nosed the cobwebs, worry prickling her pelt.

"I'll be fine," the warrior insisted. "It's just stiff."

Shadepaw frowned. _Warriors always say that,_ she thought. It was one of her first lessons – that warriors were always too stubborn for their own good, and always more eager to rush off before they were actually safe to do so.

Her heart ached, thinking of that lesson. Brackenfur had been so patient and kind… she missed him, now. She recalled her conversation with Mistyfoot hours before, and her Clanmate's question burned in her mind.

_Why _did_ I come, really?_ She thought. _Spottedleaf told me to follow my heart… but that could mean anything. Did I run away just because I was upset at Brackenfur? Was I really so petty?_

Shadepaw chewed up the last of the burdock, her stomach clenching. She applied the poultice to Stoneheart's shoulder, then covered it again with cobwebs. It would have to do – no matter how Shadepaw was feeling, they needed to get out of this Twolegplace. StarClan was waiting.

Stoneheart got to his paws immediately, hiding a wince as he tested his weight on his injured limb. Shadepaw had a feeling that some cat was going to end up supporting him before the night was through.

"I'm ready," he insisted.

Mistyfoot's eyes flashed to Shadepaw, then back to her brother. "Are you sure?"

"We'll need to take it slow," Shadepaw pointed out.

Crowpaw bristled beside her. "We need to get out of here," he snapped, glaring at Purdy. "This old bag's been leading us in circles! The Father is behind us, not ahead!"

Stormfur frowned skeptically. "I get you're impatient, Crowpaw, but Purdy is the only cat who knows how to get around a Twolegplace."

Purdy nodded. "Stars don' mean much 'round here," he huffed. "Neighborhoods like this aren't like a path through the woods, y'hear? Things don' go in straight lines like y'think they should."

Crowpaw muttered, "I think your _brain_ isn't in a straight line…"

Shadepaw nudged him, hissing, "Stop it!"

Crowpaw lowered his hackles, grumbling under his breath. Shadepaw lashed her tail. _StarClan save me from bratty toms!_ She cursed inwardly. She remembered her promise not to yell at Crowpaw again, and part of her regretted making it – sometimes it was all too tempting to scream in the WindClan cat's ear, even if it only made him more obstinate.

Still, his comments didn't seem to be helping the group's confidence in their guide. Purdy looked unaffected by the uncomfortable shifting or skeptical looks of the journeying cats. Part of Shadepaw feared that Purdy really didn't know where he was going, and they'd end up running in circles around this Twolegplace forever.

She felt bad for the old cat, too; he was clearly very lonely, and even though he didn't understand Clan ways it didn't stop him from helping. If he were a Clan cat, he would be another chatty elder – Shadepaw wondered how many stories he had that would drive kits wild with wanderlust.

"Let's move out," Stormfur decided, raising his tail. "Lead the way, Purdy."

"Gotcha," the old tabby rumbled. "Keep close now, youngins; we're almost through!"

Purdy led the way out of the nest and into the backyard, pushing through a gap in the fence and into another empty yard. Shadepaw's ears pricked, picking up the sounds of monsters rumbling to and fro across the nearby Thunderpaths, and even heard the sounds of some Twolegs chattering somewhere out of sight. Her anxiety spiked.

"Don' worry none," insisted Purdy. "The Twolegs're just headin' home to their nests! They'll all be gone real soon."

He was right – as the sun slid into darkness, the noises quieted to only the occasional monster or stumbling Twoleg. Purdy wove through a thicket of abandoned nests, all of them in various degrees of disrepair, to avoid the stragglers. He explained that some Twolegs get funny at night, and could often throw something called 'bottles' at cats.

"That sounds awful!" Feathertail fretted as Purdy described how bottles exploded on impact. Shadepaw's pelt prickled coldly, thinking of the wounds it might inflict.

"They got bad aim," assured Purdy. " 'N I don' think most all Twolegs mean it, y'know."

"Still," Mistyfoot murmured, "to think they might treat their kittypets like that… How could any creature want to be beholden to them?"

"They ain't all bad," Purdy insisted. "Jus' like not all cats're good, y'know?"

Shadepaw frowned. _Were my father's owners good to him?_ She glanced at Nightpaw, who seemed to be having a similar thought. Their father had left his nest of his own accord, according to the stories. Tinystar barely remembered his Twolegs. Would they have been good to him, had he stayed?

Purdy led the journeying cats out into the open as their surroundings improved. No longer were they ducking through dilapidated structures or splashing through puddles gathered in huge pits in the ground. Now they were in an area similar to the houses they started in, which didn't help Shadepaw's sense of direction.

"See? Circles," grunted Crowpaw.

"Almost through," Purdy told them. "Jus' a lil more."

The journeying cats followed the old tabby as he padded along the base of a see-through fence. He veered off, squeezing through a gap in the mesh and encouraged the cats to follow. Stormfur squeezed through first, then Shadepaw followed Stoneheart. The big gray tom winced, but after a check on the other side Shadepaw determined he hadn't reopened his injury.

"What're we doing here?" Feathertail asked, bringing up the rear.

"Takin' a lil' break," Purdy explained. He flicked his tail around the yard – it was big and expansive, the Twoleg nest many lengths away, with all its lights out. The old tabby tom led the way across the yard to a grove of strong-smelling plants that made Shadepaw's nose tingle. Mistyfoot sneezed.

"Fish!" Stormfur exclaimed.

"What?!" Feathertail pushed herself up front.

The journeying cats clamored around the little garden, staring down into a wide, stone-lined pool of water. Shadepaw saw big, colorful shapes flitting through the water, unsettled from their sleep by the cats. They were unlike any fish Shadepaw had seen in the forest, with scales splashed like a calico cat.

"Hungry?" Purdy asked.

"Now I am!" Stormfur purred, positioning himself by the water. Feathertail followed, her eyes bright.

Shadepaw purred – trust the RiverClan cats to get excited over fish! She looked down into the water, feeling her own curiosity mingling with Nightpaw's. "Think we can try?" her brother asked.

"Of course!" Stormfur mewed. "It's easier than anything, c'mon; we'll show you!"

"We're not RiverClan!" Crowpaw insisted. "That's…"

"Oh, come on," Shadepaw mewed, nudging the WindClan tom with her muzzle. Crowpaw stalled, his blue eyes clouded as he looked at her – then he grumbled under his breath and followed Shadepaw over to Feathertail.

The others distributed themselves similarly between the two RiverClan cats, until the whole pond was surrounded by hungry jaws. Purdy stretched off to the side, lying down for a moment, watching with half-closed eyes.

"Now, this is a small pond so it'll be easier," Stormfur began, "but the general rule is to keep your reflection off of the water."

Mistyfoot shifted on her paws, muzzle screwed up in concentration. "This is… harder than it seems," she admitted.

"Didn't Silverstream teach any of you how to fish?" Feathertail wondered. She had her paws on Nightpaw's shoulders, adjusting him so that his eyes didn't scare the fish.

Mistyfoot shook her head. "She wanted to, but Tinystar worried it might cause trouble with RiverClan," she explained.

"She still brings back a minnow sometimes," Nightpaw pointed out. "She catches them special for the kits and elders, says the oil's good for their bellies."

"It is!" Shadepaw confirmed. She was still trying to get her own positioning correct, finding it awkward to place her paws. "A few trout and Frostfur's fur grew back all silky-smooth from a bad hot spot she had."

"Alright, now concentrate," Stormfur mewed. "Keep still and most importantly, keep quiet – even your breath can spook a fish."

Shadepaw clamped her jaws shut. The air went still and quiet around the pond, and Shadepaw's muscles ached from trying to maintain this awkward position for what seemed like ages. Pudy snored behind them, but the colorful fish didn't seem to care.

Suddenly a paw shot out, and Feathertail had hooked one of the big fish onto land. "Kill it!" she called.

Stoneheart lunged forward and snapped its spine with a massive bite. Shadepaw's eyes went round – the fish was twice as big as it had seemed in the water a moment ago. No wonder RiverClan cats ate so well!

Feathertail nudged the massive fish towards him. "Go on; you and Nightpaw share that."

Stoneheart seemed about to object, but he dipped his head in thanks. He and Nightpaw carried their catch away from the pond so that the others could fish undisturbed.

It didn't take long before each cat had a big fish to share. Shadepaw had nearly hooked one herself, but her clumsy paws had sent it flopping back into the water. Mistyfoot had managed her own, with Stormfur's help – the two shared it side by side. Feathertail had caught two more and, with her claws, had split the flesh evenly so that each cat could have a share, even Purdy.

The fish flesh was soft and oily, with a watery flavor that Shadepaw was unsure of. It filled her belly, though, and Shadepaw imagined that she could get used to the flavor, especially if it made her pelt shine like Feathertail's.

"Do you think the lake will have fish?" Nightpaw wondered, drawing his paw over his whiskers.

"It looked big enough," Feathertail mewed. "I don't think a Clan could live out of it, though. Fish like hiding at the very bottom if they feel too hunted. I don't think any RiverClan cat could make it that far down."

"I wonder why we're going there…" Stoneheart sighed. He looked down at the stone-lined pool, looking thoughtful. His whiskers twitched, his eyes brightening. Shadepaw tilted her head – was he okay?

The fur along the big gray tom's shoulders bristled. "Mosspaw?" he murmured.

"Mosspaw?" Mistyfoot's ears pricked. She turned to look at her brother, eyes wide. "Where?"

"I-In the pool," Stoneheart breathed, looking up from the water. "I could've sworn I saw her…"

"Was it a sign?" Feathertail wondered.

Stoneheart blinked, looking up at the night sky. "I… I think so," he mewed. "The sky is clear. It wasn't clouds on the water… it was Mosspaw."

"So we're heading the right way?" Crowpaw guessed.

Shadepaw looked up at the stars. They blinked above, unmoving. She wished StarClan were speaking to her – she might know better how to read their signs. _At least, I think I would,_ she told herself, recalling the vision of mist back in the forest. She looked at the others, feeling somewhat useless as a medicine cat – how could she not, when others were the ones receiving the signs?

_That's not fair,_ she told herself. _StarClan chose them for something beyond a medicine cat's skills. What needs to be done is something they need to do… and I know I have to help._

Mistyfoot was close to Stormfur, their pelts brushing. Shadepaw watched their tails twine together. A prickle of discomfort traveled up her spine. Did they even realize that they were so close their whiskers were touching? Did no one else notice?

Her heart ached. The entire group was sitting together, like Clanmates at suppertime, sharing tongues and joking and laughing. Affection gleamed in even Crowpaw's eye as he washed behind Nightpaw's ear.

Shadepaw swallowed, suddenly finding the fish hard to manage. Their journey was nearing its end – what would happen to this closeness when they had to go back to their Clans?

* * *

Dawn broke as Purdy led them out of the Twolegplace. Shadepaw stretched and purred, grateful for grass beneath her paws again. The entire world felt open and wide again, stretching before them into rolling plains and forests. Each cat took a deep breath of the clear air, and Shadepaw sent a prayer of thanks to StarClan for their relatively safe journey.

"Here y'are," Purdy offered, his purr rusty. "Toldja I'd git y'all out safe!"

"I'm sorry we doubted you," Stormfur meowed, touching his nose to Purdy's head. "We're in your debt, Purdy."

"Oh, don' go fluffin' m'fur," the old tom chuckled. "Jus' bein' neighborly." He ducked away from Stormfur and pointed ahead with his tail towards a nearby clump of woodland. "You'll wanna head there first, I reckon; a nice lil' place. There's a stream there that'll take y'to yer lake if y'follow it up a ways, y'hear?"

Shadepaw's heart beat in her ears. Feathertail's eyes lit up, and she purred, "We're so close!"

"Let's go, then," Stoneheart insisted. His eyes were glazed with pain, and Shadepaw frowned. The last burst through the Twolegplace had taken its toll, and his wound was oozing slightly. He needed more rest before he went on – they all did. Stormfur pressed his body against Stoneheart's, subtly supporting the proud ShadowClan warrior.

Shadepaw looked back to Purdy. The old tom's eyes gleamed wistfully, and Shadepaw's heart twisted. She blurted, "Come with us, Purdy! At least to the woods."

Purdy's eyes widened. "Oh, y'all don' need to-"

"We insist," Mistyfoot meowed, stepping forward. She nudged Purdy with her shoulder. "We need to thank you properly for your help."

"Yeah!" Nightpaw purred. "And you promised us you'd tell the story about how you fought off three Twolegs!"

"Please," even Crowpaw meowed, coming to stand beside Shadepaw. "You helped us so much."

Shadepaw felt a prickle of affection for the WindClan tom that startled her. Each time Shadepaw thought that Crowpaw was just a prickly blockhead he proved that beneath it all he did have a soft heart. She touched her nose to his shoulder gratefully.

"Well, I ah…" Purdy's whiskers twitched in consternation. "Don' look like I got much choice, eh? Well, c'mon then youngsters! Let old Purdy show the way…"

The old tabby charged forward, suddenly full of energy. Shadepaw purred in amusement as he began to boisterously talk, his voice carrying in the open breeze. Stormfur let him lead the way, the journeying cats falling step behind him as Purdy began to talk at length about a time he'd saved a Twoleg kit from a fox single-pawed…

* * *

They reached the woods by midday. They made camp in a small clearing beside the stream Purdy had pointed out before – he insisted that following it would take them to the lake.

"Where does it go otherwise?" Mistyfoot wondered, staring downstream.

"A real nice place," Purdy purred. "Good hunting; real pretty sunset."

"Let's go then," Stormfur insisted, nudging Mistyfoot along. "We'll be back before dark!"

"Bring lots of prey!" Feathertail called as the two disappeared downstream.

Shadepaw made up a nest amid a tangle of roots right by the stream. To her joy, there was a small burdock plant growing just nearby. Using it she had been able to make another poultice for Stoneheart's shoulder, and set the ShadowClan tom to rest. Nightpaw's leg needed only rest, so she ordered him to listen to Purdy's stories for as long as he could.

"No problem," Nightpaw agreed, yawning.

"Crowpaw," Shadepaw mewed, "would you mind going over Purdy for ticks?"

Crowpaw's eyes flashed. He looked like he might refuse – until his eyes softened on her and he nodded. "Sure."

Shadepaw curled her tail self-consciously around her paws, watching Crowpaw nestle himself beside the old loner and set to work. Nightpaw helped, too, grooming down Purdy's tangled mats while he listened intently.

"You've got that Crowpaw wrapped around your tail!" Feathertail purred, sitting beside Shadepaw.

Shadepaw's pelt felt hot. "I do not!" she insisted. "He's not hard to work with if you don't assume he'll fight you on everything."

Feathertail flicked her tail. "I don't know what we'd do without you, Shadepaw," she went on. "You've been such a help."

"Thanks." Shadepaw lowered her head, hoping she looked humbler than she felt. It was so nice to be able to use her skills without Brackenfur hovering over her, and she'd learned a lot just from the journey. Feathertail's words made her feel better after her troubled thoughts the night before.

Shadepaw glanced up at the others. Stoneheart was asleep now, with Crowpaw and Nightpaw both tending to Purdy as if he were an elder from their Clan. Nightpaw paused to yawn, and Crowpaw pushed him to the side so that he could rest. Shadepaw felt the unity in the air like she had the night before, stronger this time.

She looked downstream and felt her pelt prickle with worry. Stormfur and Mistyfoot's closeness last night, and now they were hunting alone together… "Stormfur and Mistyfoot have gotten so close," she commented.

Feathertail stiffened. "He has a huge crush on her," she admitted. "It was only inevitable."

"I think it goes both ways," Shadepaw pointed out, recalling the conversation she had eavesdropped on in Purdy's old home.

Feathertail's eyes clouded with worry. Shadepaw shifted on her paws – so she wasn't the only one that noticed, and she wasn't the only one worried. Did the others know? Did Nightpaw?

"They should be careful," Feathertail whispered, looking down at her paws. "A broken heart is so painful a thing… I don't want to see either of them suffer that."

Shadepaw touched her nose to Feathertail's shoulder. The emotion on the she-cat's face was so raw that it made Shadepaw's own heart ache. _Oh, Feathertail,_ Shadepaw thought sympathetically, _I can't imagine who would ever break your heart…_

Feathertail gave no more details, and Shadepaw wasn't going to force her. This was the saddest she had ever seen the bubbly RiverClan warrior, and Shadepaw knew now that StarClan's message wasn't the only reason she'd been so eager to leave home.

_I just hope this journey doesn't end with more broken hearts…_


	28. Chapter 26

**Chapter 26**

"_Look at that," Stormfur breathed. "It's…_"

"Amazing," Mistyfoot finished.

The two of them had managed to collect enough prey between them for the others before catching sight of the nice place that Purdy had pointed out. The stream that led to the lake also led here… to a steep cliffside that bordered more water than Mistyfoot had ever imagined existed in the world.

It went on forever, the water – it crashed endlessly against the sandy cliffs below the two cats, white and foamy. The breeze smelled strongly of water and rock and salt, and the sun, now a blood-red disk, was slowing sinking into the waves.

"It's… drowning the sun…" Stormfur mewed, awe in his eyes. "A place where the sun drowns…"

Mistyfoot planted her paws in the ground, feeling like her world was shaking. Did the water before them really have the power to swallow the sun?! She swallowed, forcing herself to remember that it must get spat back out – how else would the sun return day after day?

Stormfur leaned against her, and Mistyfoot felt her fear ebb. "Are there any RiverClan stories about this?" she wondered.

"I don't know," Stormfur admitted. "I don't think so."

"There should be," Mistyfoot whispered.

"Yeah."

Silence stretched between them as they watched the sun slide down behind the water. The air grew cool and the water turned dark, the waves churning the surface so much that it did not reflect the light of the stars as they began to appear. The lake in contrast had been still and quiet, and Mistyfoot was grateful that StarClan was sending them there instead of this place.

"Could you swim in it?" Mistyfoot wondered.

Stormfur frowned. "I don't think so," he answered. "It's so dark… the shore must drop off very sharply. A cat getting caught in that, and then lashed on the rocks… And look at the way those waves are churning, over there – no one would be able to swim out of that!"

Mistyfoot's heart beat in her ears as she imagined Stormfur drowning in the churning water below. She dug her claws into the earth. "I would try to save you," she insisted, finding herself utterly serious.

Stormfur bristled. "You'd drown!" he threw back, his eyes round. Mistyfoot flinched, worried she'd said the wrong thing – but then his amber eyes softened, and he meowed, "But I appreciate the thought."

Mistyfoot leaned against him, grateful to her core that Stormfur was here and not down there in the water. Warmth flooded her pelt as he touched his nose to her ear. She pressed her muzzle into his thick fur and sighed.

Even before the face of such a great, terrible wonder, Mistyfoot felt just fine – because Stormfur was here, and as she stood with him… she felt like she could do anything.

* * *

Mistyfoot and Stormfur returned just as the moon began to rise. Mistyfoot's neck ached from dragging her rabbit until Purdy came and took it from her. The old tom had cleaned up since their arrival in the woods, his mats gone and pelt almost free of ticks. Mistyfoot was impressed, and happy that the old cat seemed even jollier now.

Stormfur put his catch on their makeshift pile. Shadepaw took the rabbit from Purdy and split it with the apprentices, while Stormfur took two mice over to Feathertail, who was keeping watch off on her own. Mistyfoot plucked up a vole and took it over to Stoneheart, who was nestled up between the roots of a sheltering oak by the stream. A fresh poultice lay over his wound, and his eyes were bright when Mistyfoot approached.

"You two were gone for a while," he commented, twisting his tail. "Busy?"

Mistyfoot's whiskers twitched. "I don't know what you mean," she insisted, her pelt prickling. "We only stopped to look at where the stream ended – you wouldn't _believe_ it, Stoneheart…" She described the place to him, her heart beating in her ears again at the memory.

Stoneheart shifted in his nest. "Sounds romantic," he purred.

"Stop it!" Mistyfoot hissed, lashing her tail. "Just because-"

"Don't." Stoneheart stopped her. His pale eyes sharpened on her. "There is very clearly something going on between you and Stormfur. I don't think you should keep denying it."

Mistyfoot stiffened – and then she sighed. She batted the vole's remains between her paws, her pelt feeling hot with embarrassment. "I… I have feelings for him, yes," she confessed quietly. "I just… I don't know whether or not it's love, or even if he…"

She twitched her whiskers. _I sound like a lovestruck dove!_ She chided herself. Mistyfoot glanced up at Stormfur, sitting across the clearing with his sister. What were they talking about? Looking at him made her heart beat faster, and she looked back down at her fresh-kill.

"What did it feel like to fall in love with Rowanclaw?" she wondered.

Stoneheart's gaze turned puzzled. "I don't know, really," he answered. He rested his head on his paws. "I guess it felt… natural. Like it was meant to be that way, and that was okay."

Mistyfoot swallowed. "It feels like that with Stormfur," she confessed. Anxiety mounted in her again, bubbling words from her jaws: "But he's from another Clan, and who knows what will happen when this journey is through, and…"

Stoneheart touched his nose to her ear, silencing her. "All any of us can do right now is just… trust ourselves. Listen to your heart, not your head, Mistyfoot. You don't need to figure anything else out just yet."

Mistyfoot's head clenched, but she endeavored to ignore it. She pressed licked her brother around the ear.

"Thanks," she meowed.

Stoneheart's whiskers twitched. "Anytime."

* * *

"Stop looking already, Shadepaw," Nightpaw hissed. "It's rude."

Shadepaw flinched, looking back down at her paws. "I'm just worried about them, that's all," she insisted. Mistyfoot and Stormfur had been gone so long, and when they returned the air around them seemed… different. Now they were talking to their siblings, and everything seemed so strange, especially after her conversation with Feathertail about the pain of heartbreak.

"Well, gossiping like an old queen isn't going to do anything," Nightpaw insisted. "It's not our business."

"She's our Clanmate!" Shadepaw insisted, "Not to mention our friend." She pressed Nightpaw through their bond, wondering why she was feeling him getting so prickly again. "It's natural that we worry about her."

Nightpaw's eyes darkened. "Worry about yourself," he grunted. "And stop prodding! That's rude, too."

Shadepaw bristled. "What's _that_ supposed to mean?" she snapped. "Worry about myself?!"

Nightpaw nodded with his nose over to Purdy and Crowpaw, who were sharing a rabbit together. The old tom seemed to have attached himself to Crowpaw for the day, and was constantly in the WindClan apprentice's ear about something. Crowpaw was holding it together but Shadepaw guessed it wouldn't be long before he snapped.

"What?" Shadepaw wondered, oblivious to Nightpaw's point.

Nightpaw's ice-blue eyes narrowed. "You and that WindClan cat have been inseparable – you might be too dense to feel it but _I_ can. You're a medicine cat, Shadepaw… and he's from another Clan! Mistyfoot and Stormfur are one thing, but _you_ and him…"

Shadepaw's fur bristled with indignation. "How dare you!" she hissed. Annoyance bubbled up in her, and she dug her claws into the soil. "There is _nothing_ like that between Crowpaw and I!"

Nightpaw did not look convinced. He curled up tightly in his nest, throwing his tail over his nose. "Denial is kinda hard when I can feel what you feel," he grunted. "But whatever. G'night."

"Good night!" she snapped back.

Shadepaw curled herself up tight, her back to her brother. Her claws dug into her nest, and with her temper so hot she found it hard to fall asleep. Her tail trembled as she drew it close to her, glowering across the clearing at Crowpaw.

_He's wrong!_ She insisted. _He doesn't know anything! He doesn't know anything at all!_


	29. Chapter 27

**Chapter 27**

_Mistyfoot felt drowsy when morning came,_ but despite that she was grateful it had – traveling through Twolegplace just those few days had made her feel backwards, waking up at night and sleeping during the day. Even if it seemed that non-Clan cats lived that way, it felt wrong to Mistyfoot. She pushed herself to her paws and yawned.

"I can't believe it!" Feathertail mewed as she stretched in her nest. Stormfur was grooming himself beside her. "We're almost there! Isn't that exciting?"

"I know!" Nightpaw's tail was bristling with anticipation. "I can't wait!"

"Well, calm down now," Stoneheart reasoned. The big gray tom curled his striped tail around his paws. "The lake isn't going anywhere… and we don't know what we'll find when we get there. I say we ought to loosen up our muscles a little before we get going."

Nightpaw frowned, looking downhearted. "Yeah, but my leg… I don't think I _can_ train right now…" The injury looked like it was fully healed to Mistyfoot, but she could understand his hesitance.

Stoneheart shrugged. "Neither can I," he pointed out. "But that just means we'll have to rely on the others to help us, and that means they should definitely take the time to brush up on some moves."

"I agree," Stormfur meowed. He stepped out of his nest and shook dew off of his pelt, much to Crowpaw's annoyance. "Let's split up the apprentices between us and work on some basic moves. I'll take Shadepaw."

Shadepaw's head shot up from her nest, her eyes wide. "Really?" She scrambled to her paws. "Let me check Nightpaw and Stoneheart's injuries first!"

Stormfur nodded, flicking his tail at her. Shadepaw dug through her nest for some leaves and hastily began looking over the injured. Her tail was flicking impatiently from side to side, and Mistyfoot stifled a purr – she could get just as excited as Nightpaw about things.

"Mistyfoot, you take Crowpaw," Stormfur suggested.

Mistyfoot swallowed, anxiety buzzing in the back of her mind as she looked at the scrawny black tom. He didn't look pleased with the decision, narrowing his dark blue eyes at her. She glanced back at Stormfur, hoping he might change his mind – especially after their conversation about Shrewpaw – but the RiverClan tom was leading a bouncy, eager Shadepaw towards the other side of the clearing.

"I'll see if I can rustle us up some fresh-kill," Feathertail decided.

"Let me come with you," Nightpaw insisted, getting up out of his nest. "My leg feels just fine! I think I can manage that!" He glanced at Shadepaw, who paused to nod at him.

"All right, but take it easy," Feathertail agreed, swishing her tail over Nightpaw's back. "No jumping for birds!"

"I'll come with y'all," Purdy rasped, stretching in his nest. Mistyfoot winced, seeing all his bones poking through his pelt. He could do with more than a few feedings. The rumpled tabby nudged Nightpaw wit his muzzle. "I'll keep the youngin' outta trouble."

"Well?"

Mistyfoot jumped at the sharp grunt. Crowpaw was staring her down, his whiskers twitching with annoyance.

"Are we going to train or what?" Crowpaw growled.

Mistyfoot forced her fur to flatten. "Y-Yes," she said. "Let's go over here."

Trying to keep her legs from shaking, Mistyfoot led Crowpaw over to the side of the clearing opposite Stormfur and Shadepaw. There was plenty of space, with the roots from the nearby trees only poking through the ground enough to be felt, not tripped over.

Mistyfoot busied herself with clearing away some stray sticks, her heart pounding in her ears. _What should I do?_ She wondered. _Oh StarClan help me not to screw this up!_

"Show me a roll," Mistyfoot decided. That was a basic enough maneuver, and every Clan cat knew it regardless of what part of the forest they grew up in.

Crowpaw sighed, rolling his eyes as he preformed the move. His technique was impressive, and Mistyfoot reflected that Crowpaw had been very near the end of his training before the journey had taken him away from WindClan. _It shows._

She frowned, trying to think of what to do next. She didn't know any WindClan moves – and asking him to show her might make him upset. Anxiety was already bubbling up in Mistyfoot's mind and she could just imagine it taking over… She looked over at Stormfur, and her ears pricked in surprise.

Stormfur was very clearly showing Shadepaw a RiverClan defensive move – he hunkered his body down and charged at Shadepaw shoulder-first. The glancing blow made Shadepaw shift her position and gave Stormfur an advantage in the mock fight.

_That's it! Thanks, Stormfur…_

Mistyfoot swished her tail, feeling a burst of confidence push away the anxiety for a moment. "Let's try a ThunderClan move," she decided.

Crowpaw's eyes flashed with interest.

Mistyfoot observed Crowpaw – he was tall and skinny, unlike the more even-bodied ThunderClan cats Mistyfoot was used to. Would he be able to understand a ThunderClan move? _Don't doubt him,_ she told herself. _He's smart. You've seen it._

"Okay," Mistyfoot began. "This one is pretty simple… I'm going to have you attack me, okay? Watch what I do."

Crowpaw nodded, hunkering himself down to prepare his strike.

Mistyfoot signaled him, and Crowpaw charged at her. Mistyfoot reared back on her hind legs instead of dodging, like how Crowpaw likely anticipated – she slammed down on the WindClan tom before he could strike, pressing him to the ground with her weight.

When she got off of him, Crowpaw was bristling. "Not fair!" he hissed.

Mistyfoot flicked an ear. "ThunderClan's territory is cluttered," she reasoned. "You've got to use what space you have to your advantage. Now I'm going to try on you."

Crowpaw frowned, but nodded. He flicked his tail to signal he was ready.

Mistyfoot launched herself at him. Crowpaw reared back on his hind legs, but he did it too fast – he staggered backward and fell onto his side with a huff. Mistyfoot halted, frowning.

Crowpaw got to his paws, looking cross. "This is stupid," he snapped.

"Just try again," Mistyfoot offered. "Make sure you can balance on your hind paws before anything else."

Crowpaw shook out his pelt and nodded.

They tried three more times – Crowpaw was having difficulty with the move, and Mistyfoot noted that it was likely because WindClan cats were so used to being able to run from their problems rather than confront them. She didn't say it aloud.

Each time he failed, Crowpaw looked more and more upset – until the fourth, where Crowpaw fell down again. He lashed out at the ground as he got up, bristling, and he spat, "This isn't working! I'm not going to get this stupid move!"

"Calm down, Crowpaw," Mistyfoot insisted. Worry flared in her heart as she saw how upset the apprentice was. "It's not a big deal…"

"Not to _you,"_ snapped Crowpaw, lashing his tail. His blue eyes burned. "_You're_ not the kit of a dead deputy every cat in your Clan loved! _You_ don't have to be so perfect all the time!"

Mistyfoot frowned. Was that where Crowpaw's attitude came from? She felt badly that she hadn't imagined the pressure the young cat must be under – Deadfoot had been a beloved cat, not just in WindClan. With that legacy, and with an aggressive cat like Mudclaw for a mentor…

"I understand," Mistyfoot soothed, feely sympathy well up in her. "Bluestar was my mother – that didn't make training any easier for me, you know. I'm not going to claw you for not understanding a move immediately, Crowpaw – calm down, and let's try again."

Crowpaw bristled at her still, but the burning in his eyes settled. "Sorry," he grunted.

"It's okay," Mistyfoot told him. "And remember – this is a whole other Clan's style of fighting! You're _definitely_ not going to pick it up quickly…"

She continued the lesson. When Crowpaw seemed to pick up the first move well enough, she moved on to a few others – with patience and understanding for Crowpaw's limitations, he picked them up quickly. Mistyfoot couldn't imagine a less patient cat trying to teach him and getting anywhere fast.

By sunhigh Feathertail, Nightpaw, and Purdy had returned, all laden with fresh-kill. The training was halted so that the traveling cats could eat – they gathered together by the stream, pelts brushing as they ate.

"I just don't have the bulk to be a RiverClan cat," Shadepaw lamented. "But those moves were really interesting, Stormfur!"

Stormfur's whiskers twitched in amusement. "Not all RiverClan cats are bulky, you know…"

"Most of us are," Feathertail pointed out. "You can't ignore that!"

Stoneheart nudged Mistyfoot. "You did really well with Crowpaw," he murmured into her ear. "You're not as bad a mentor as you think."

Mistyfoot's pelt prickled with embarrassment. She glanced at Crowpaw and felt a new warmth towards the apprentice, as if he had really been her own. "I know," she found herself saying. "It was really fun."

"I just wish I could've trained, too," Nightpaw sighed. He nudged Crowpaw. "I'd show you a thing or two!"

Crowpaw flicked his ears. "Don't worry," he grunted, "I'll keep your claws sharp as soon as you're fit to train again."

"You'd better!" Nightpaw agreed, grinning excitedly. "I can't wait!"

Mistyfoot's eyes widened at Crowpaw. That was perhaps the friendliest thing he'd ever said to anyone but Shadepaw. Did Crowpaw see Nightpaw as a friend now, too?

_He's changed so much,_ Mistyfoot thought fondly. She looked over all the cats in the circle, eating and purring and enjoying themselves. _We all have…_

* * *

"Well, it's time, everyone," Stormfur announced. "We should head off towards the lake."

Mistyfoot shook dirt off of her paws. She and Feathertail had just finished burying the bones of their meal, and they padded up to Stormfur as he gathered the journeying cats together with a swish of his tail.

"I'll miss y'all," Purdy admitted. There was a sadness in his eyes that made Mistyfoot wish they could keep traveling together. The poor old cat must be so lonely…

"Thanks for all your help, Purdy," Feathertail mewed, her own eyes filled with sorrow. She rested her muzzle on Purdy's head. "StarClan watch over you."

"StarClan watch over you," Stoneheart repeated.

Mistyfoot nodded and repeated, "StarClan watch over you…" The prayer was taken up by the other cats, each one touching noses with Purdy before going to stand beside Stormfur. The old loner looked dazzled and confused, but touched regardless, and Mistyfoot even thought she saw his legs tremble with emotion.

"Aw, y'all…" Purdy sniffled. "N-Now, don' go gettin' lost! Just follow this here stream and you'll hit that lake in no time!"

"We won't forget you!" Nightpaw purred, rubbing up against Purdy one last time. "Or your stories!"

Purdy's whiskers twitched. "Y'all come back here on yer way through an' I'll tell some more, y'hear?"

"Definitely," Stoneheart agreed warmly.

"An' I'll have a good route back for ye all planned out!" Purdy insisted. "Be careful!"

Stormfur raised his tail in thanks, and the group set off.

Mistyfoot found herself padding beside Stormfur, shoulder to shoulder, and for once she was not rushing to put distance between them. It felt very right, and Stormfur gaze was warm as he looked on ahead, as if having her by his side was all he needed to keep moving. She glanced back and saw that every cat was close to another, grouped up and traveling as one single unit rather than four separate Clans…

… and that felt very, very right.


	30. Chapter 28

**Chapter 28**

_The group traveled in silence as day_ shifted to night. With nothing but one another and the stars overhead, they followed the stream as it wound through the land. They crossed from the forest into more open moorland, followed the bank of the stream as it swept under a Thunderpath, and climbed up and down steep hills until finally, finally, at the crest of the tallest hill, the lake was before them.

Mistyfoot's eyes widened in awe. The sun-drown-place had been beautiful in how terrifying it was, but the lake… it was simply beautiful. The water was still and clear, reflecting Silverpelt perfectly on its surface. It was massive – but not intimidating, like the endless churning waves of the sun-drown-place. And the land around…

The moorland curved over most of the land surrounding the lake, but even in the darkness Mistyfoot could see the silhouette of a thick forest across the water. A Twoleg barn stood solidly just on the outskirts of the hilly moorland, with a small Twoleg nest overlooking the lake – but that was the only sign the cats could see of Twolegs here.

"It's… amazing," Crowpaw breathed.

"This is what we came for!" Feathertail purred, her eyes shining. She turned to Stormfur. "Just look at all this land! I've never seen so much water before!"

"Still Twolegs here, though," Stoneheart pointed out, nodding to the barn and nest. "And that Thunderpath back there might go to a Twolegplace, too."

Nightpaw's tail swished. "Yeah, but who cares?" he mewed. "Think of how far away it all is, compared to the forest!"

Mistyfoot stared down at the lake, her heart filling with triumph. This was what it was all for – the dreams, the journey, the strife… they had made it. She looked up at the stars above and sighed. _I'm here, Mosspaw… we did it._

"So… what happens now?" Nightpaw wondered.

The cats fell silent. They were here, yes, and this place was beautiful – but Nightpaw was right. Mistyfoot found herself looking to Feathertail, Stoneheart, and Crowpaw. Did they feel anything? She certainly didn't, other than a sense of increasing anxiety. All three of them looked just as confused and helpless.

Shadepaw twitched her ears. "Well… we made it here," she reasoned. "StarClan has to have more information. Maybe we should go down and drink from the lake? The way it's reflecting the stars reminds me of the Moonstone…"

"It's a thought," Stormfur agreed, looking over the chosen cats. "Let's go – and keep an eye out for predators."

"Wait, what's that?" Crowpaw wondered.

Mistyfoot blinked at the WindClan tom. He was standing at attention, his tail low and ears upright. His spine bristled, just a little, and his lip curled. Mistyfoot followed his gaze, and spotted a large, dark shape moving in the marshy rushes by the banks of the lake.

The other journeying cats formed a line, standing at attention as the creature moved towards them. Mistyfoot's heart beat in her ears as the moonlight shone on a bright white stripe down its back… _Badger!_

Mistyfoot's claws unsheathed as her blood roared through her body. Immediately she was taken back to the forest, to the badger that killed Shrewpaw before her eyes. She felt herself bristling with fear and anger as the badger lumbered its way up the slope.

"What do we do?" hissed Nightpaw.

"It's outnumbered," reasoned Stoneheart. "There's no way it can think it can handle _all_ of us…"

"But it's still heading right for us!" squeaked Feathertail. Her tail bristled with alarm. "What's it think its doing?"

"Be ready," Stormfur growled, squaring his shoulders beside Mistyfoot. "Stoneheart, keep on the defensive. Apprentices, stick to the warriors. I'll take the first hit."

Mistyfoot bared her teeth. "Like I would let you!" she spat.

"Wait," breathed Shadepaw. "Calm down, all of you – don't you see it?"

"See what?" Crowpaw seethed. "All _I_ see is a badger heading for us!"

Shadepaw stepped out of the group and towards the badger, which was now huffing and snuffling a few tail-lengths away. Mistyfoot's mind raced with alarm – what was Shadepaw _thinking?_ That badger was twice her size at least!

"She has starlight in her fur," Shadepaw meowed, looking back at the Clan cats.

"Little shadow is right," grumbled the badger as she hefted herself up to the top of the hill. "I am not for fearing."

"It… speaks cat…?" murmured Feathertail, awe in her eyes.

Mistyfoot was stiff, shock coursing through her body. She shared a look with Stoneheart and Stormfur, and found they were just as mystified.

"I speak many things," the badger grumbled, nodding her long snout at Feathertail. "Cat, bat, fox… rabbit, too. Horse, even…" The creature shifted her big body and Mistyfoot saw that Shadepaw was right – the badger had _stars_ speckling the black of her fur, like she was made of chunks of the night sky.

The badger raised her muzzle, her berry-bright eyes focusing on the cats. "I am called Midnight," she said. "And Midnight is whom you are to meet."

There was silence throughout the Clan cats. Mistyfoot's frenzied heartbeat slowed, gradually, as she looked into the badger's eyes. There was something calming about the creature, something that made her forget the trauma caused by her kin. _Is this even really a badger?_ Mistyfoot found herself wondering. _I've never heard of a badger with stars in their fur…_

"_Shadow, Wind, Thunder, and River must join together,"_ stated Midnight, her voice echoing over the plains, _"for the forest shakes to its roots –_ the words what sent you here, no?"

"Y-Yes," Feathertail breathed. She courageously stepped forward, closer to Midnight. "Can you tell us what they mean?"

Midnight blinked solemnly. "Yes," she assured.

"How do you know about StarClan?" Shadepaw wondered, her eyes wide with wonder. "How can you hear their messages, if you're not a Clan cat?"

"Messages everywhere, little shadow, if ears open, if eyes bright," Midnight explained, whiskers twitching. Her claws scuffed the earth beneath her heavy body. "Cats aren't only animals with eyes to see the stars, and StarClan are not only ancestors that roam. The world not so small that only Clan and StarClan exist!"

Mistyfoot swallowed, a feeling of discomfort creeping into her fur. She wasn't the only one – Crowpaw looked offended to hear such a thing, and Stoneheart's eyes darkened. All their lives Clan cats knew that what set them apart from other animals was StarClan – how could there be _more?_

"But what does the prophecy _mean?"_ Stormfur wondered. His eyes were shining with desperation – he didn't seem bothered by Midnight's revelation. "We've come so far… we _have_ to know!"

"And why a badger?" Shadepaw asked. "Why not one of their own?"

"Because journey just as important as destination," Midnight explained. "This prophecy – about acceptance and togetherness, it is. Come. Night is long, and you are tired."

Midnight got to her paws and led the way along the slope. The journeying cats, after a moment of hesitation, followed – what choice did they have? The world felt so strange and alien now that they were following a cat-speaking, star-furred badger. What more could be thrown their way?

"What could she mean, that StarClan aren't the only ancestors out there?" wondered Stoneheart.

Mistyfoot shrugged. "I have no idea," she admitted.

"It makes sense, when you think about it," Nightpaw put in, trotting into place beside her. "Why wouldn't rabbits or foxes or sheep believe in their own ancestors? Where else would they go when they die?"

"Wise little one," Midnight chuffed ahead. Mistyfoot guessed the badger was trying to chuckle, but the sound was more of a growl.

Mistyfoot swallowed. "Can we trust her?" she wondered.

"We have to," Shadepaw insisted. Her eyes were filled with determination. Beside her, Feathertail nodded in agreement. "She's got to be from StarClan, somehow – she knows the prophecy."

"She knows our destiny," Feathertail added. "At least… I hope so."

_So do I,_ Mistyfoot thought.

She looked up at the stars as Midnight led them into a grove of willows, where several small streams broke off from the lake and intersected to form little island. The place was quite sheltered, overgrown with reeds along the banks of the streams. The water was easy to cross in a single bound, even for Nightpaw, whose legs were half the size of every other cat.

_Mosspaw,_ Mistyfoot thought as she stepped into the reeds. _Is this what you were leading us to all along?_

The journeying cats stepped out into an open clearing, bigger and wider than it would have appeared from the outside. Feathertail's jaws opened in awe, and Stormfur's eyes sparkled.

"It's like home," he purred.

Mistyfoot, looking around, had to agree – there was a certain RiverClan-ness to the little island that was undeniable. The gentle sound of the stream in her ears, the softness of the earth, the willows draping the ground with their branches… it wasn't for her, personally, but there was an appeal.

Midnight settled herself beside hollow log near the back of the clearing. It looked like the old willow had fallen seasons upon seasons ago, with moss and mushrooms crawling over its surface – there was still a nobility about the husk, though, and its structure still seemed rather sound.

"Sit," invited Midnight.

The cats had little choice but to obey. Mistyfoot settled herself down beside Stormfur. Nightpaw pressed his fur against her other side, while Shadepaw and Crowpaw sat together beyond him. Feathertail and Stoneheart took up Stormfur's other side. All together they formed a half-moon around the mysterious starry badger who looked down her snout at them with bright, beady eyes.

Mistyfoot tried to hide the shaking of her legs – what would the badger reveal? What did the prophecy mean? What could they do about it, and what did the lake mean when all was said and done? Any exhaustion from the journey fled Mistyfoot as she stared at Midnight's striped face. There was too much at stake here to be worrying about sleep.

"The prophecy what sent you here is of ill news," Midnight rumbled. "Life, all life, is cycle – weak devour strong, cat hunt mouse – but cat is not strongest force in all of world."

"Yeah, we _know_ that," Crowpaw growled, rolling his eyes. Mistyfoot knew the WindClan cat well enough now to see that he was huffing to hide his fear. "Just tell us what you _mean_, you old badger!"

Midnight did not seem offended. "Twolegs," she stated. "They come for your forest, to destroy it."

Silence fell in the clearing. Mistyfoot blinked, confused. "W-Why?"

"When camp too small for cats, you expand camp, no?" Midnight spoke as if it were the simplest concept in the world. "Twolegs need space, too. They take where they can, same as you."

"That can't be true," whispered Feathertail. "No, no… why would they care about our forest? It… It's _ours!_ StarClan gave it to us!"

Midnight shook her head. "Land no belong to you, the land belong to no one," she explained. "In future, something stronger than Twoleg will take land from them – but now, Twolegs will take forest."

Feathertail shivered, leaning against Stormfur for support. Stormfur stiffened, his eyes wide. Mistyfoot dug her claws into the earth to keep it from spinning all around her. The others were similarly shocked, the apprentices huddling up together with quivering whiskers and Stoneheart hunched close to the earth, as if the world was spinning for him, too.

"W-We can fight them!" Crowpaw insisted, bristling.

Midnight shook her head again. "Pointless," she decided, her voice heavy. "Cats lost for nothing, and Twolegs still take land."

"She's right," Stoneheart rasped. "We've never been able to _really_ fight the Twolegs…" He looked at Midnight, his pale blue eyes beseeching. "What are we to do, then?"

Midnight blinked placidly. "You have made journey to lake. You know the way. Bring Clans here – the lake is home, now."

"W-what?!" Nightpaw breathed.

"_Leave?"_ Shadepaw squeaked. She looked faint. "Leave the _forest?_ For good?"

Mistyfoot's heart thudded in her ears as the journey, the prophecy, all of it clicked in her head. Why else would StarClan send cats from all Clans here? Why else would they endure the journey, the uncertainty, together? Midnight had stated earlier that the prophecy had been about acceptance and togetherness – and, thinking of the journey they had made… the badger was right.

"Lake has moors, swamps, rivers," Midnight went on. "Oaks tall and oaks small. It is much like forest you come from. Clans will live here many long seasons."

"That can't be true," whispered Crowpaw. "We're happy in the forest. What, am I supposed to tell Tallstar to just up and leave because a _badger_ says so?!"

"You tell him to leave because _StarClan_ says so," Shadepaw murmured back. The young medicine cat looked scared, but there was acceptance in her eyes. Mistyfoot admired her faith – strong, even when far older cats were frightened around her. "Because that's what they've said."

Crowpaw's eyes were pools of sorrow, and he trembled beside Shadepaw, quiet and as helpless as they all were in the face of this tragedy.

"We know it's true," Stoneheart stated pragmatically. "The Twolegs… ShadowClan and WindClan territory have seen the damage they're doing, more than the other Clans. Something is happening in the forest… and if this is it, it's not so farfetched."

Mistyfoot's head spun, thinking back to the Gathering and the forest. She'd taken shelter with Nightpaw underneath some Twoleg monster before the journey, and through WindClan territory she had seen similar creatures lined up along the Thunderpath… they'd been gone so long – what was happening in the forest? Would there be anything left when they returned?

"But RiverClan was _fine!"_ Feathertail insisted, lifting her head to protest. Her neck fur rose. "There weren't any Twolegs on our territory when we left!"

"Come sooner, come later," Midnight rasped, "but they will come."

Feathertail opened her jaws to protest, but all that came out was a wail of sorrow. Stormfur buried his muzzle into his sister's fur, and Mistyfoot felt him shaking. She understood why – the thought of ThunderClan territory disappearing made her dizzy. She couldn't believe it.

_How will I tell Tinystar?_ She wondered, staring down at her paws. _He was so upset with me when I left. Will he even let me back into ThunderClan?_

_Will there even be a ThunderClan to warn?_

As if she could sense it, Midnight soothed, "There is time for warning, time for leaving – but not much. Twolegs cause much suffering, true; but it is part of cycle."

"This cycle is unfair," Nightpaw whispered. "I _hate_ it."

"Hate it not, little one," Midnight told him, sympathy in her voice. "The cycle favors not one or another. The Clans must begin anew at lake. Here is where destinies lie, where darkness will be vanquished… and where Clans live on, in starlight."


	31. Chapter 29

**MIDNIGHT IS DONE, GUYS!**

**I think Midnight is going to prove to be the last "easy" part of this AU monstrosity, and while I do wish it had hit 30 chapters I'm okay with what I've put out.**

**Moonrise is still in the drafting/prewriting stage, with only about four chapters worth of content done so far. It's going to be a short one, but it's basically two novellas at once so I need to make sure each half of the story works in its own right. I don't know when I'll be through with it, but I'll be sure to let you all know! I _can_ say that it will be done before the year is out, barring irl interference.**

**Thank you all so, _so_ much for reading!**

**-Twilight **

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**Chapter 29**

_The moon hung heavy in the_ water's reflection as Mistyfoot approached. The lakeshore here was sandy and soft, though more towards the forest the shore grew pebbly, more like the riverbank back in the forest. Mistyfoot, homesick and worried, sat down in the sand and stared out at the water.

_We… have to live here,_ she thought. This place was beautiful, but it wasn't long ago that it was only a dream – what if that's all it really was? The whole journey had felt real enough, but Midnight's warning felt so surreal…

Did the badger really think that the Clans would be happy here? That they were destined to live by the lake? What did a _badger_ know of anything, let alone StarClan or Twolegs or… Mistyfoot had to force herself to stop thinking, or she'd spiral out of control, which was the last thing she needed right now. She focused on the lake, on the slow ebb and flow of the water against the shore.

"How could StarClan let this happen to us?" Mistyfoot murmured, looking down at the water at her paws. The thought of leaving the forest for this journey had been terrifying enough, but leaving for _good?_ Her head was spinning.

The reeds twitched behind her, and Mistyfoot jumped to her paws. She turned her head and saw Stormfur padding towards her, his amber eyes soft with understanding. The thick-furred tom sat himself down beside her, and Mistyfoot leaned into him for comfort, her heart still thudding in her ears from the surprise.

"It'll look better in the morning," Stormfur promised her quietly. "We can really look at this place then. See if Midnight is right."

Mistyfoot dug her claws into the sandy shore. "She's right," she mewed, "I _know _she is, deep down. But… why can't StarClan send the Twolegs away? Don't they have the power?"

"If they could, they probably would have," Stormfur pointed out. His eyes darkened as he looked out at the water. "I think… I think this journey has proven that StarClan isn't as powerful as we thought."

Mistyfoot trembled as a chill ran down her spine. Midnight had already posed tough questions about StarClan, about the nature of their world. If that knowledge meant cats might lose faith in StarClan's power… that scared Mistyfoot to her core. What would the Clans be without StarClan?

"It'll be all right, Mistyfoot," Stormfur assured. "If StarClan can't stop the Twolegs… then I'm sure they'll help us any other way they can. Isn't that what they did already, by sending us here?"

"I hope so." Mistyfoot pressed herself into his fur for security. She felt Stormfur's body rippling in a warm purr, and she couldn't help but feel a little better as she looked out at the water with him. For a moment, the hardships ahead disappeared, and it was only the two of them, in their own little world.

"Whatever happens…" she began, looking up at Stormfur, "I'm glad that we met. I'm glad this journey happened."

Stormfur glanced down at her, his whiskers brushing hers. "So am I," he mewed. He gently touched his nose to her forehead. "Even if I wasn't a chosen cat… I'm grateful I came. It let me know you, Mistyfoot."

Mistyfoot's fur flushed with warmth, and she purred. She felt the same here as she did by the sun-drown-water – with Stormfur by her side, nothing could hurt her, not even the worrisome thoughts in her own mind, because she wasn't dealing with them alone anymore.

"Will you teach me to swim, when we get here?" Mistyfoot asked. "After all, all the Clans will have access to the lake."

Stormfur's eyes sparkled. "Of course," he promised warmly.

Happiness bubbled in Mistyfoot's chest. She brushed her muzzle against Stormfur's, purring. Stormfur's tail twined with her's, and as they looked out at the lake, together…

Their uncertain future seemed bright.


End file.
